14 FEBRUARY 1947, Page 5

Fortune, the massive (in volume, but lively in content) American

monthly, has been conducting an enquiry into American soldiers' reactions to conditions and habits in various European countries. The questions asked are interesting. I have only room to deal here with the answers that affect Great Britain. To begin with "Did you like the English civilians better or worse the more you 'saw of them? "; 47 per cent, liked us better, 27 per cent, worse, the rest were non-committal. Next, "What did you like most aboui, the English? " these features, in order of percentage : friendliness and hospitality ; "ability to take it "; "similarity of language "; down to rock-bortom—o.7 per cent.—for "industry and enterprise." Now for the other side : "What did you dislike most? " "Arrogance or superior attitude" tops the tree ; then "hostility, lack of co-opera- tion "; next, but much lower, "deceitfulness, two-faced behaviour "; and bottom of all, less than i per cent., "backwardness, low stan- dard of living." But a disappointingly large percentage, over 46, is wasted on "other bad qualities" and "don't know." Still, there is some instruction and edification to be got out of it all.