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Summer Session Kansan
Friday, July 24, 1959
Our Good Will Envoy Turns in His Portfolio
Special to The Summer Kansan
By Jerry Knudson
(Editor's note: Jerry Knudson, a former instructor of journalism, is touring Europe this summer. This is the fifth of a series of letters.)
From this moment on, I am going to be mean, nasty, rude, and unhearable.
HAMBURG, Germany—With this letter I hand in my resignation as "good will ambassador" to Europe.
You see, it all started like this Before I left the states I received a letter from the President telling me how important it is that Americans traveling in Europe act well since they represent the entire country.
I glowed with patriotism and hurried off to Europe with righteous halo in place. But now I am handing it back to the striped-pants State Department boys because...
In Germany, someone stole 40 marks (10 dollars) from me.
In Spain, people shove, push and prod in the theaters and elsewhere when there is no reason to do so.
In France, the people sit like clods and will not speak even when spoken to.
In Paris, the owner of a photographic shop flew into a rage when I told him he had promised my pictures a day earlier.
In Holland, a young man refused to shake hands with an American.
Americans I have seen in Europe have behaved with irreproachable manner. Usually, they are warm and gentle people.
We hear nothing except how mercenary we Americans are, and yet people here seem interested in nothing except the almighty American dollar.
I have yet to see an American drunk on the streets of any European city, believe it or not. I have yet to see an American be rude or unfriendly.
Generalizations are dangerous, of course, but from my limited observations, I would say the Germans are terribly offensive, the French are clannish and unresponsive, the Belgians are detached.
On the other hand, the Spanish are wonderful—open and demonstrative as children, completely guilleless. The Dutch, too, are friendly and good-natured.
There have been other exceptions to my list of grievances, such as the
shop keeper in Amsterdam who rented me a brand new portable typewriter for a day and then would accept no money for it, or the railway clerk in Hamburg who gave me some small change to get my baggage out of hock because the exchange office was not yet open.
These, however, are exceptions. Others are unbearable. So ends my declaration of war against unfeeling Europeans and the do-gooders at home so conscious of the impressions which we make. Why not send letters to Europeans?
Time seems out of joint in Europe. Hula hoops are going great guns in Spain while the Charleston is
3 Outdoor Films To Be Run Tonight
Three outdoor movies will be shown tonight as the last in the series of films planned for the recreation program of summer students. They are "Yellowstone." "The Great Land Alaska," and "Banfl and Lake Louise." The films will be shown at 8 p.m. east of Robinson Gymnasium.
the most popular dance in Paris.
"Hang Down You Head, Tom Dooley" is selling well all over the Continent, but so is "Don't Fence Me In" and other songs almost forgotten in the states.
Language translations are often very funny. Charley Brown of the "Peanuts" comic strip is hilarious, even in Danish (Lucy becomes "Trina").
In Germany it is a treat to listen to the Chipmunk Song in German or in France to see animated cartoons such as Tom and Jerry in French.
Here's the real kicker: In France, Pepe La Pew, the romantic skunk with that heavy French accent in our country, speaks flawless English!
The wing surfaces on supersonic jet bombers are joined by rivets made of a special stainless steel containing 24 per cent nickel.
SALE on LP's
"Beat Up" Classics and Jazz
They've Been Here
Too Long
BELL'S
Herter Charges Red Plot
GENEVA —(UPI)— Secretary of State Christian A. Herter charged yesterday that Russia is trying to make the West its "unwitting accomplice" in a plot to hold all of West Berlin for ransom.
Herter sharply rejected a new "concession" offered by Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko at the session of the Big Four Foreign Ministers' Conference. Gromyko bledged that Russia would take no
"one-sided action" during a possible Berlin truce or the negotiations following it.
The U.S. leader pointed out that the Russian offer still had a big string tied to it—insistence that a Berlin truce must have a time limit.
Gronyko's pledge was part of a speech to the 22nd plenary session of the conference. Western sources said the speech indicated "no great change" in the Russian position.
LAWRENCE NOW SHOWING!
Now & Saturday Mark Stevens in "GUNSMOKE IN TUCSON"
plus Jack Palance in "THE MAN INSIDE"
Extra: Owl Show Saturday Night!
Starts Sunday Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa, Orson Welles in "THE LONG HOT SUMMER"
Now & Saturday
Alan Freed in
"GO, JOHNNY, GO"
co-hit
"THE YOUNG
CAPTIVES"
with Steve Marlo
Starts Sunday!
Sal Mineo, Christine Carere
Barry Coe, Barbara Eden
Gary Crosby, Terry Moore
Jim Backus in
"A PRIVATE'S
AFFAIR"
Now & Saturday
Now & Saturday
Alan Ladd, Ernest Borgine in "THE BADLANDERS" co-hit
Victor Mature, Leo Genn in "TANK FORCE"
Extra: Double Owl Show
Saturday Night!
Starts Sunday!
Walt Disney's "PETER PAN"
co-hit
Patty McCormack in "KATHY O"