The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-12-16
WIDE AWAKE
AND DETERMINED
The Nation Is in It's War Stride and
Is Better Fitted Than at the
Beginning.

Beginning.
William f. Collins wrote from Lon
don under date Of Nov 20, the follow
ing letter which was published in the
Newark, =. j., Evening News Dec. IL:
This IS the last day Of the fourth
month Of the greatest war in ell history
What of London all this time2
London-and this means England, and
by the same manner of speaking the
British Empirc-finishes the thirf>of
year Of warfare in much better state
than when Britain took up arms. This
can be said despite British losses on
land and sea. The word losses is used
advisedly. 1t is not at all Synonymous
with reverses. losses must be expect
ed in war-also feverses for that mat
ter. Germany, as well as England, has
suffered losses.
The point is that Britain has struck
her stride. And this comes at a time
when the German land advance has, ac-
cording to the best military observers
here, received q check which is believed
to be decisive
Frankly speaking, it has taken time
for Britain to get into her stride, but
she has found it There still are Eng
lishmen who do not seem to be aware
| fully Of the emergency. But this hap
Ipilv for England, has come to be the
exception. The emergency, weeks ago,
was realized il all responsible quarters,
and is being met.
| That it was not recognized more gen
orally earlier is due, in large part, to
the English temperament
| From the beginning Of the war, the
gravity Of the situation was appreciat-
| ed by every thinking Englishman, so to
| speak. i'll q national sense. In an in
| dividual sense he did not, as a rule, APP
preciate it. Now he does That Is the
SrEth Of the case.
This Individual appreciation is what
| has given the flip to the recruiting
here. 1t is what brought EngIishmen
home to enlist from the far corners Of
the earth. 1t has served To rally the
colonies t. this mother country.
| Germany has affected to laugh at
| English methods of getting soldiers. The
| methods may appear to lac slow, but to
an observer they seem tcFriblv sure.
Many people say that one German raid
| on FHgiand would make those methods
So automatic that th" reply would he
overwhelming. 1t may take = raid to dc
this. hut things seem TO he going on
fairly we'll at present.
1t Is true that England : danger now,
as from the commencement Of the wal
arises from over-ronfiicnce. But this
over-conHdenee Is being replaced with j
calm acceptance of duty, whatever tho
Consequences.
cannot. naturally. write of military
and naval preparations Extensively an,
defen~iTcIv. But | think | can say. tho
censor permitting that the campaign,
are being. 4s they have been. admirably
mapped out. From the tone OF certain
American dispatches. there seems to T.,
a feeling on Your side ot tire water. tina
England il not vet quite awake. Thi
= Il Very mistaken impression. Englan,
il very wide awake-very wide awake
! indeed
And. with This aHveness, there is de
examinations Ne might Is we'll So
this thing through, YOU know. said n
, English captain to ma this Afternoon
+ just before leaving for France to ioit
, his regiment 1t was said almost cas-
ually-in quite the English way. Blu
! there was no doubt whatever that h
, meant it.
Il England means business: make n
! illiSl'ttt sttittt( iiat+ flN IttAtBGI BIdN
; eFs, and the thousands Of spectators Q
= football matches may not he voIunteeI
, ing as they should but there are other
who are volunteering, And it may no
" be very long before it viii be unnece>
sarv to try to shame the football me
and their admirers.
Perhaps il may be thought that / N
: insisting over much on this matter @
national respense. But 1t is a matter Q
- life OF death over here. That all peopl
over here do not quite vet sec it ha
nothing to 10 with this statement.
London. as a city, preserves its cain
| believe London quite the most inter
esting place in the world at the pre-:
t emit moment. And not the least elemen
t Of its interest is its calmne8s.
OF course. everything is war. Yo
: hear war in the clubs and in privat
h houses. In Parliament war question
take precedence. On the streets-wel
II on the streets one would know that Eng
\ land is at war.
But it Is war met with ealmness. r.