South Yorkshire Times, August 25th, 1951

Tailpiece

One of the colonels told us some of the stories the British soldiers told about American discipline.  The best was the story about the American general’s conference on discipline with the British Chief-of Staff.

“Waal,” says the American general.  “I guess having only just got mobilized our discipline needs tightening but, mark you, since the boys have been over here with you British their discipline’s tightened up a whole lot.

At that moment the door opens and the American general’s driver pops his head around. “Say General,” he said.  “Is it O.K. if I take your auto to-night?  I wanna go dancing.”

“Sure, says the general now get outah here – I’m busy!”

The door closes. There now, you see what I mean” he says to the British Chief-of-Staff.  “Before that guy came over here, he’d have taken the car without bothering to tell me.”

(“Travelling Tongues” – Kenneth Harris)