Life — November 29, 1923 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

LIFE - Europe Inside Out Sounder Gives First-Hand Information on Conditions Abroad su ASHINGTON, November 24. Never has any Congress assem- bled more tully equipped to deal with world affairs, more competent to save Europe frem itself and us from it, than the one t is impending. And of all the travelers who have made a study of the ills abroad, none, I feel, has done his work more thoroughly than I myself. That my journey to Europe was not more widely heralded throughout the country was due to a slight misadventure with baggage labels. I had prepared a very com- prehensive interview for my de- parture touching on the price of wheat, the prospects for 1924, the disruption of Germany, coal, and myself. But on boarding the ship I found that somehow I had put the wrong labels on the baggage, so that the steamer trunk contain- ing our necessary equipment for the voyage had been sent to the hold, whereas the large black leather affair, in which Mrs. Sounder always puts the useless odds and ends she thinks we may need, completely filled the cabin. wrt with my own discomfiture and quieting Mrs. S., the re- porters got ashore without my inter- view. And as the only two matters of real importance in a statesman’s travels are his statement to the press upon de- parting, and his statement to the press upon returning, I felt actually sick at heart to think that my country would find my name only among “others sailing.” On top of that, rumor spread through the ship, shortly before docking in Eng- land, that the quota for Senators re- turning to the United States was vir- tually filled for the next three months. In fact, there were said to be only two vacancies left. Knowing that Hiram Johnson was booked to sail for home in a few days, and that he would very likely insist on having himself counted as two, I lost no time, upon landing, in hurrying to the shipping offices. Fortunately, I was able to obtain pas- sage on a vessel sailing that very night. This, to be sure, shortened my time available for surveying Europe, but un- derstanding fully the routine for such work, I felt that it was ample. Hurrying at once to 10 Downing Street, I sent in my card to Mr. Bald- win, who was out—a fact which, I felt, was illuminating of official life through- out Europe. “THERE WAS A SLIGHT MISA WITH BAGGAGE LABE! But I wished, too, to feel the pulse of the business world. A luncheon un- der the auspices of the Central Heat- ing Manufacturers, Ltd., who happened to be in convention that week, gave me the opportunity. The salesmen’s speeches, such as, “How to Overcome the National Prejudice Against Keep- ing Warm,” afforded me a vivid in- sight into the British business man’s at- titude toward economic conditions. UT it is the opinion of the man in the street that is most vital in” gathering European im- pressions. I therefore hailed a cabby, dozing on his box across the street. and when he had got his vehicle in motion and threaded his way to my side, asked him whether he thought the League of Nations was functioning as well as its founders had hoped it would function. I had no idea that the League was so utterly in disrepute abroad that the mere mention of it could stir such strong emotions in a simple cabman’s breast By now I had no more than time to send a few picture postcards back home and hurry for my ship. Yet I felt thor oughly satisfied with the study of condi tions I had made, and when the debate turns to Europe during the coming ses- sion of Congress, I shall be as com- petent to speak with the authority of first-hand knowledge as any there. Sounder. Aren't the Irish Just —? HO says that the Irish have no sense of humor? After fighting for centuries against English rule, their chief grievance being that they were forced to send out of the country millions of pounds annually as rent paid to non-resident landlords, they have got the land and self-government, and they are now going to borrow many millions from English bankers, for which they will pay about as much in interest every year as they formerly paid as rent. The joke is on the stupid Englishmen, who instead of getting rent will have to take interest. IRST TURKEY: Thanksgiving sn’t what it used to. be. Srconp Turkey: You said a mouthful. “I HAD NO IDEA IT COULD STIR SUCH STRONG EMOTIONS IN A SIMPLE CABMAN’S BREAST.” comicbooks.com