ANGLOMANIA IN AUSTRIA
Snt,—I have read Mr. Anthony Nutting's article with great interest and appreciation. I have lived in Austria for many years, and have revisited it regularly until the Anschluss and the war put a stop to these visits. I should like to elaborate one of Mr. Nutting's points, i.e., the opportunity England has now to play the part of moral and cultural leader to the Austrian people. In my experience Austrians have always been markedly pro-British ; in fact, I am not sure whether the word " anglomania " has not been coined in Vienna. Indeed, they can be said to resemble the British in their tolerance, their breadth of outlook and their sense of humour. What they unfortunately lack is the dogged moral courage and hardihood of the English ; the typical Austrian is an amiable cynic, artistic, good-natured, yielding and indolent. He is the product of an old and complex civilisation, and in consequence slightly
decadent. His rather wistful admiration for the British character, achievements and general mode of life and trend of thought make him an ideal subject for British influence. (The remarkable success of British Council work in Vienna bears testimony to this fact.) Let us hope we shall not waste our opportunities in Austria!—Yours faithfully,
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