THE CALL OF AMERICA 



when I made certain original offers with regard to 

 features. Never run away with the idea that the 

 American you meet in Europe who promises you the 

 limit in encouragement and help when you land in his 

 country will make good. Far from it : he will give 

 you the cold and glassy ; in fact, quite go back on any- 

 thing he has ever said in response to extended favours 

 in Europe. Apart from the extreme kindness and 

 delightful amiability of Mr Theodore Myers, and that of 

 his friend, Mr " Ed." Steindler, whom I met two or three 

 times in London, there was not a single big man I had 

 been kind to in Europe who thought it necessary to 

 put himself the slightest bit out of his way to extend 

 even the grip of friendship. "Ed." Steindler was the 

 perfect host, asking people to meet me and " putting 

 me in " right, which is worth everything. His office, 

 his staff and his nephew — his " right hand " — were 

 admirable supporters of his friendliness. 



The others who really greeted me were new friends, 

 entirely fresh acquaintances. Joe Rothschild was one 

 of the first I met ; he was conducting the band at a 

 French ball — they called it that. His private box 

 was flanked by about two dozen empty champagne 

 bottles — ^they leave them around to keep tally and to 

 show what a darned good customer there is in that 

 box. Two or three of his friends were equally 

 charming : Gay Schiffer and Gus Ranger — all Jewish 

 people, don't forget, you who mouth about our 

 alleged Christianity. 



But of the lot I met in Europe — my ! There was 

 one magnate I had seen a lot of in Paris when 1 was on 

 the Herald there. He was knocking down a lot of 

 money, and used to press me to make him my banker 

 if I wanted to: I didn't want to. Then again in 

 vulgar ostentation he used to show some of us how 



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