Neurotic Yanks.

Miss Shorthall expressed surprise and doubt at Mr. Gilton's statements that the poor remained in America because they preferred it, and people were not Presidents just because they did not want to be. The chances of becoming President were great—one in 130,000,000!

Throughout the American press and radio sensationalism was the dominant note. In a newspaper taken up at random there were 20 headlines. Sixteen of these dealt with murder, suicide, and sex. This was the fare served up to the neurotic Americans. It reflected a fear-ridden, frenzied people rather than those seeking happiness. Advertising and radio throw lights on the desires of the people—the radios have turned their backs on culture—they sell it.

It was a very unhealthy sign that the Americans preferred to watch paid sport to playing it themselves. Hollywood was almost a religious cult in America; and crank beliefs were rampant. All this appetite for sensationalism pointed to fear, competition and strain of American life.

America is the most snobbish country in the world, the snobbishness being based on money. America must not be considered as a whole, in spite of what Mr. Byas said—first consideration must be given to the smaller sections, for American life is made up of sections. This segregation of Jews and Negroes was not for equality of opportunity—they only got the dirty jobs to do. One in every ten in America is a negro, yet there is bitter prejudice in North and South against these negroes who can compare socially and intellectually with the best in the world. "Till this serious question is solved, while there exists class division between capitalist and worker, and while American civilisation is based on strife and cut-throat competition, man to man, there can be no happiness."