My Impressions of America

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Asquith Margot. My Impressions of America

I: ABOARD THE CARMANIA. I. ABOARD THE CARMANIA. MARGOT NOT A NATURAL TOURIST; LACKS CURIOSITY – HEADLINES IN LONDON COMPARED WITH HEADLINES IN NEW YORK – AMERICAN WOMEN WORLDLY – AMERICAN MEN THE GENUINE ARTICLE

II: ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK. II. ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK. REPORTERS LACKING IN AWE – SPLENDOURS OF HOTEL LIFE – FIRST LECTURE A FAILURE AS RESULT OF SEA-SICKNESS – THRILLED BY NEW YORK'S ARCHITECTURE

III: BOSTON AND WORCESTER. III. BOSTON AND WORCESTER. DISCOMFORT OF TRAVEL IN AMERICA – STAGE FRIGHT IN BOSTON – BOSTONIANS INTELLIGENT AND COURTEOUS – JOHN SARGENT'S FRESCOES IN THE MUSEUM

IV: UNRESPONSIVE PHILADELPHIA. IV. UNRESPONSIVE PHILADELPHIA. SERMON ON LIFE AS A TRAINING SCHOOL – MARGOT'S ENGLISH NOT UNDERSTOOD IN PHILADELPHIA – MRS. CORNELIUS VANDERBILT'S BAL POUDRÉ – PRAISE FROM HEYWOOD BROUN

V: THE WHITE HOUSE AND WASHINGTON. V. THE WHITE HOUSE AND WASHINGTON. PRESIDENT HARDING EASY TO TALK TO – MARGOT EXPLAINS ENGLISH POLITICS – CHATS WITH WOODROW WILSON – IMPRESSED BY AMBASSADOR JUSSERAND

VI: DETROIT AND CHICAGO. VI. DETROIT AND CHICAGO. GUEST OF WOMEN'S CLUB – VISITS FORD WORKS – LOVELY MRS. MINOTTO – BONUS AND DISABLED SOLDIERS

VII: PITTSBURGH AND ROCHESTER. VII. PITTSBURGH AND ROCHESTER. MEETS AN INTERESTING REPORTER – COMPLIMENTS FROM DR. HOLLAND – PULLMAN CAR INCONVENIENCES – MARGOT SEES HER FIRST FLAPPER

VIII: TORONTO AND MONTREAL. VIII. TORONTO AND MONTREAL. MARGOT TELLS A MARK TWAIN STORY – CAPTURES TORONTO AUDIENCE; KISSES CHARWOMAN – MONTREAL LADIES QUELLING AND CRITICAL

IX: IN CANADA'S CAPITAL. IX. IN CANADA'S CAPITAL. APATHY AND BREEDING OF OTTAWA'S AUDIENCE – INTIMATE TALK WITH PREMIER MACKENZIE KING – THE STATUE OF "SIR GALAHAD" AND ITS STORY

X: REFLECTIONS AT LARGE. X. REFLECTIONS AT LARGE. DRAWBACKS OF AMERICAN JOURNALISM – SENSATIONAL HEADLINES; FEAR OF THE PRESS – CONTROVERSY ON PROHIBITION WITH LORD LEE – IMPRESSIONS OF U. S. SENATE

XI: SYRACUSE AND BUFFALO. XI. SYRACUSE AND BUFFALO. CITY OF CULTURE AND BEAUTY – NIAGARA'S NATURAL BEAUTY MARRED BY BILLBOARDS – MARGOT READS ABOUT HERSELF

XII: INTERESTING ST. LOUIS. XII. INTERESTING ST. LOUIS. MET BY THE MAYOR – ANOTHER INTELLIGENT REPORTER – NEWS FROM HOME AND VIEWS THEREON – LUNCHEON AT WOMEN'S CLUB

XIII: KANSAS CITY AND OMAHA. XIII. KANSAS CITY AND OMAHA. AMERICAN VOICES RARELY MUSICAL – SEES LOVELY COUNTRY HOME – DISCUSSION ON CHARACTER BUILDING – MARGOT PREDICTS GREAT FUTURE FOR GOVERNOR ALLEN

XIV: THE WAR AND PROHIBITION. XIV. THE WAR AND PROHIBITION. HEATED DISCUSSION ON ENGLAND'S ENTRY INTO THE WAR – OUR GERMAN FRIENDS – AMERICAN VITALITY – MISQUOTED ON PROHIBITION

XV: NEW YORK IDEAL CITY. XII. NEW YORK IDEAL CITY. LIFE AND AIR AND GAIETY IN NEW YORK – LETTER FROM GOVERNOR ALLEN – MARGOT MEETS ARTHUR BRISBANE – PRINCESS BIBESCO'S BOOK

XVI: CRITICISM AND FAREWELL. XVI. CRITICISM AND FAREWELL. DOLL SALESMAN TALKS ON PROHIBITION – PERILS OF COMMERCIALISM AND MATERIALISM IN AMERICA – PLEA FOR LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

XVII: THINKING IT OVER IN ENGLAND. XVII. THINKING IT OVER IN ENGLAND. AMERICANS FRIENDLY BUT VAIN – THE LAND OF THE REFORMER – INTEREST IN EUROPE'S ARISTOCRACY – NEWSPAPERS PANDER TO VULGAR CURIOSITY – PLEA FOR ANGLO-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP

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AFTER an abominable voyage during which the ship rolled and rocked, groaned and shuddered, and the sea did precisely what it liked with us, we arrived a day and a half late, and surrounded by press-men I feather-stitched on to American soil.

If the reporters are a little lacking in awe, they make up for it by the intelligent interest they take in everything connected with one; and after being asked what I thought of "flappers" and what Mr. Lloyd George thought of me, I was allowed to go to the Ambassador Hotel. I could not have been greeted with more courtesy had I arrived at Windsor Castle, nor have I ever stayed in a better hotel.

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The next day Lieutenant Governor Alvin Fuller and his wife – who were among those who had congratulated me in the green room the night before – gave us lunch and took us in their motor to the two great Boston sights: the Public Library and the Fine Arts Museum.

The Library is a magnificent building, founded in 1852, containing over two million volumes, half of which are lent out for daily use at home. The architects of the building were McKim, Mead, & White of New York, but most of the design was the work of Charles Follen McKim. The mural decorations were painted by Puvis de Chavannes, Edwin Austin Abbey, and John Singer Sargent. As my time was limited I concentrated on the works of my friend Mr. Sargent.

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