It must be apparent to the most obtuse mind that the
millions of dollars which have been spent annually in Europe by American
tourists will stay in the United States next year, and the question naturally
arises as to where travelers who have no taste for blood-stained fields of
battle will spend their leisure time and surplus cash. Naturally the South
stands forward with the strongest claim along the line of scenic and climatic
advantages. Rich in the possession of numerous resorts, and boasting natural beauties
which even Europe cannot surpass, the South is the logical point for Americans
who have not seen half the wonders of their own country. “See American First”
is an old and appealing slogan, and the Citizen would suggest that “See the
South” should carry even greater force when properly presented. Under this head
of course would come Western North Carolina, and we believe that a
well-directed campaign at the hands of the Western North Carolina Association
and other bodies would make the “See the South” slogan heard and heeded
throughout the country.
These thoughts are not born of idle visions. It stands to
reason that the thousands of Americans who have been accustomed to travel in
Europe will cast about for substitute fields. As recently remarked in these
columns, the appeal of America will undoubtedly find ready response even in the
lands that are now passing through the horrors of war. The wealthy classes of
Europe must eventually turn to a land where war and its attendant disasters are
unknown, and we confidently look forward to the time when all lines of American
life will receive potent additions from the ranks of European refugees.
But to return to our own people and our own section, the
South has never faced greater opportunities than it faces today, and the
results to be attained rest wholly with Southerners themselves. It goes without
saying that other sections of the country are fully alive to the present
situation, and the South must be up and doing.
No comments:
Post a Comment