The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-16
WAR ECHOES

Jus a good many years ago that tn. lGurkhas and other native Indian sol diers charged the hill tribes to tls.
 tune of Dem Golden Slippers" Yor remember that rollicking old air.
 Our soldiers In Cuba during the un.
 pleasantness sang "A Hot Time In ths Old Town Tonight" until it was frayed
 and threadbare.
 Now we learn that Harry Lauder in-
 cites the British troops to put in their
 best kicks Listen to this story. | "A corporal and two privates of the
 Black Watch, all wounded, have just arrived in London from the front. They were surrounded by crowd and cheered in the West End this morning. The corporal, telling how his regiment fought, said:
 | Tn the thick of it we were singing Harry Lauder's latest. Aye. twas grand. All around us were the dead and dying. Every now and then the German shells burst and as we pep pered away at 'em we sang 'Roamin' in the Gloamin'' and the Lass O Killte- crankie'."
 
 p1aint in England over the suppression of news during those fateful days of the retreat from Mons to La Fere, Sir John Frenchs succinct report is sufficient answer to it.
 Glancing back at the cold formal statements of the British information bureau, we find assertion after asser- tion that the English were falling back upon successiveiy stronger positions. They were resolutely optimistic And certainly 1t would have been inadvls- able to tell at the time, for the com fort of Germans and the discomfort of Engishmen. how hard pressed for it from beginning to end Sir JoLn French was to get back to any post : tion al all. His retreat was masterIy. And if his terrific and successful rear guard actions prevented the enemy from learning the desperate state of his command to announce it through the English press would have been foolhardy indeed It was not for that that he was so vigorously covering up his retreat
 Not until the danger had passed was lit safe to tell of it. Nor are future happenings likely to be more readily disclosed In the contrast between the English governments reports and Sir Johns narrative we have a measure of the reliance to be placed on all off, cial announcement of events that come contemporaneously with the events themselves. And here it is to be noted that, so far as geography was con- cerned, the announcements were scru- pulously exact. We followed the Eng fish from one line to another. and the lines proved not imaginary Doubtless we may trust to this same extent in future announcements; but the idea of 'strategicaf' retirements has been pretty well discouraged; as has the idea of victories in the face of contin- ued retirement Sir Johns narrative re- port bids the guesser take the official reports, locate the places mentioned. and read between the lines that armies are there by virtue of arms and not of policy.
 New York Sun: It is understood that the informal inquiry to be made by the United States government of the Ger man Emperor as to the attitude of Germany in regard to peace negotia- tions will be followed. after his an swer is received by similar applica- tion to other bellgerent powers The spirit and purpose of the Honorable Oscar Straus and of other distinguished private citizens who have instituted or seconded the first tentative steps are in the highest degree praiseworthy; and they are sure to find in President Wilson the. utmost good will, coupled of course with that wise and necessary caution and reserve which befits his official post and the European sfrua- ton.
 It is well to point out, however. lest any ardent wisher of a peace now inn possible should be duped by his hopes, that this war, which has been hanging over Europe for years and has been regarded as inevitable, cannot end, that no durable peace can be negotiated or without derision attempted. until that ancient problem the balance of power has been settled decisively. The long preparation has been made, enormous expenditures for armaments have been eHQuTeu Lndt WneH lut SliuSBle came it's event should be final for a genera ton or two at least. Either one side or the other must be beaten to its knees, military and economically No such result is. in sight. Until it is the talk of peacefmust be evidence of hu- mane intention rather than of present practical value.
 None the less American diplomacy by continuing to preserve toward all the belligerents friendly and impec- cably correct position, by carefully W atching events and not forcing it's op- portunity, may yet have beneficent work of mediation and peacemaking to do. Meanwhile the unofficial dis cussion, suggestion and pourparler may go on harmlessly or prosperously; and Americans will do we'll to keep in mind the determination of both north and south in the civil war and the oc- casional abortive proposals of peace which did not go to the root of the contention.
 
 ENOUGH IS ENOUGH From the Popular Magazine. When Thomas R. Marshall, the vice president, was governor of Indiana, the city authorities of Indianapolis opened up a grand young bathhouse and swimming nool The first thing the men in charge