OURSELVES AND THE U.S.

New Zealand Listener, Volume 25, Issue 629, 20 July 1951, Page 10

OURSELVES AND THE U.S.

American relations move through a wide range of candour and vehemence, from the politeness of diplomatic levels to the bar-counter-thumping of heated champions, with chunks of history and prejudice hurtling through the air. Since the subject is of the highest importance, nothing is to be gained by keeping it in the atmosphere of Pilgrims’ Society banquets in either country. Plain speaking won’t do any harm so long as it is honest, well-informed and balanced, and governed by good manners. Naturally, broadcasting has to exercise much discretion, because the tadio word is winged and received as authoritative, and it is difficult, indeed almost impossible, to arrange for outside reply. The NZBS discussion as to whether the bases of democracy in U.S.A. and New Zealand are sufficiently alike to make a closer relationship possible, was fairly candid and so governed. It was the single American, and not one of the New Zealanders, who mentioned Tammany Hall and what.I took to be recent American revelations about corruption. On our side he found no obstacle more serious than cricket, our brand of football, and shops closed on Saturdays. The surprise of the session to other members of the panel, and no doubt to many listeners, was Proféssor Van Deusen’s clear and emphatic statement that the foundations of American life, political and cultural, were British. This, it was remarked, came from a professor of history. When he was asked what about the numbers of immigrants-from the continent of Europe, Professor Van Deusen replied that they quickly became Americans, and, being Americans, they were exposed to the influence of those British contributions. The practice of twisting the lion’s tail was often a product of local politics, where certain block votes counted. The great majority of his countrymen perceived the value of the traditional links with Britain. America, he said, was slowly developing into a welfare State, and was moving away from racial intolerance. on AngloThe panel seemed to have no difficulty in agreeing that there was ample community of democratic ways between the two countries; the question rather was what a closer relationship would involve, from political association in the Pacific’ to cultural ties. The possibilities of education in this field of discussion are very wide. I would like to see a panel of three Americans and one New Zealander-with so many’ Fulbright scholars (Professor Van Deusen is one) and other Americans about, this should be easy. And a large subject that was not touched on in this particular debate is the influence of what may be called the colonialism of America in. politics, social life and the arts, on our New Zealand life-acting as a counter to what some call our Mother-fixation. A few years ago Professor Sewell talked about colonialism in American and Do-

minion literature. If we could uncover our minds and hearts we might find that Walt Whitman and Mark Twain had done something substantial to turn us away from the British tradition of gentility. Perhaps broadcasting will explore in this atid other . directions.

A.

M.