The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-07
ENGLISHMEN GIVE NO EXTERNAL SIGN THAT ARMAGEDDON
 IS COME AT LAST
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 pause before the winning hit it seems astonishing that the air keeps so calm, the sky so clear Surely here should rise sense of gloom, some faint ringing in the ear, from that infer nal brabbling thunder sound, that belching hell of smoke and flame less than 100 miles distant where millions are at death grips.
 Nation Not Indifferent
 No wonder that Americans who have ar- rived from the continent talking wildly of the awfulness of the war come to speak of it, after passing through England. as this little difficulty''
 But it would be wrong to convey the im- pression that the nation is indifferent to the war--far from iti The calm aspect of things is partly the course of habit and partly in the nature of cloak for agi- tated feelings. In reality people are deeply anxious. In general conversation the war is the one and only topic The fact is, IL is impossible for the public to grasp the significance of war which. so far, has left every day life practically un- touched. In England the effect of this awful catastrophe is, up to the present, purely moral. For instance at the omi- nous news of the fall of Namur. l think everyone felt sensation of internal sink 1nB hnu uiSfldy loI fTdnce, Dul dlODB Wilb this feeling was also a hardening of the resolution to play the part assigned by destiny. It is certain that with every check or reverse to the arms of the triple entente there will be a corresponding in crease in the flow of British recruits. Kitchener and Wilson
 Meanwhile the movement of the regular army to the continent has gone forward unadvertised by the press, and with that exquisite precision from first to last which :. characterized the organizer of victory who sits at the center of things. Indeed, Lord Kitchener is a fetish in Egland sec ond only to the fetish of the navy. For tunately the virtue of both Is tried and proved. Meanwhile, also, the public blocks the pavements to read ssthe war telegrams displayed in certain shop win- dows. In the cafes the orchestras play only patriotic music. At the theatres, in the entr'actes, the pictures of the King the French President and President Will son evoke the utmost enthusiasm and the singing of the national airs. When finally Ahe pictured features of the Kaiser are thrown on the sheet, amid yells and cat calls. the orchestra stands up to play wild discord, from which gradually emerges and grows dominant that we'll known ragtime melody Get Out and Get under!" Street hawkers with trays of miniature Union Jacks, Tfcolors and Stars and Stripes, as badges, do an equal trade in all three. Automobiles and taxis fly the flag of Great Britain, in company with that of France or the United States as the case may be.
 10000 Americans Stranded
 It is estimated there are about 4O,OoO Americans still stranded on the continent and up to few days ago there were some 5000 in England waiting to get home. Several thousand, however, sailed from Liverpool over the weekend. The com- nittee in London charged with the admin istration of the funds sent by the Amer jean government have done their work ad- lnirably and the majority of American homegoers are now gathered at Liverpool which is practically the only port of de- parture for the states since the closing of Southampton. The Mersey City Is thronged with Americans. All the hotels are full to overflowing One-the Midland Odelphi-has 700 Tmercan visitors The Mauretania and the Olympic arrived here last week without single passenger from America on board. There are signs. how ever, that the rush for home is slackening somewhat, and, in the face of the dffi- culty in obtaining berths for a time your countrymen are resuming sightseeing ex- cursions to Chester the lakes and else where. It is somewhat curious that Eng land should be considered in any way in- secure. Americans do not, perhaps, share that confidence in the British fleet to repel invasion. which amongst English folk is absolute and unquestioned.
 The cost Of living in this country Is lit- tie affected by the war. Following the first panic rush to lay in stocks of pro- visions by those who could afford so to do. the prices which then rose sharply have now dropped to very little above normal. Sugar and butter remain dear, especially