AMERICANS AND BRITONS
Snt,—It is with the greatest admiration that I have read W. S. Lewis's letter in your issue of last week. As a busy housewife I had not the time tb sit down and write such a comprehensive and interesting reply to Mr. Harold Nicolson's article on his encounter with two American sol- diers ; but Mr. Lewis has made all the points which my indignant house- hold raised at once, and he has done so without the heat of indignation which would have scorched and spoiled any immediate reply of mine. Indeed, his letter is a fine example of American courtesy.
Those of us who have experienced the kindly and charming friendship of American soldiers over here must blush to read such a petulant and egoistic article from Mr. Nicolson, and one hopes that our. American friends will not take his strictures and disappointments as being typical of us all. Granted that Mr. Nicolson's aesthetic sense may have been wounded, was there any need to have enlarged his private chagrin in a periodical which is seemingly read by discriminating people on both sides of the Atlantic? Having had a tilt at American Army personnel, he has lately chosen to criticise American ladies ; a few weeks ago it was the Slav races who had incurred his rather precious dislike. Does Mr. Nicolson really wish the next peace to last longer than five years? Or ii he unconsciously helping to disrupt the growing friendship among the Allies?
The impression (possibly erroneous) given to us by Mr. Nicolson's recent articles is that he does not like Americans, and his fears about their future relations with us are influenced, let us say, rather by wishful thinking than by a genuine anxiety over possible misunderstandings between our two countries After all, Mr. Nicolson himself has said he prefers Teutons—and the French (not Vichy French, we presume) to the Slays—and from twood his recent articles one gathers that he prefers either to Americans. Doubtless we should be grateful that Mr. Nicolson can bring himself to approve even one of our Allies.—Yours faithfully, EDNA WHITLOCK.
Brinklea Cottage, zo Wimborne Road, Bournemouth.
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