The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1915-12-30
JOHN Bull VIEWS
OUTLOOK FOR 1916 =. !.
oPTIMISIICALLY
War Correspondent Says Resources Of
Great Britain During the Past
Year Were Barely Tapped.
ALLIES PREPARING TO THROW
TWO SHELLS TO TEUT0NS' ONE
Croakers as Useful Patriots as Cloak
ers During 1915; Britishers De-
termmed SO Beat Enemy.
ALLIES PREPARING TO THROW
TWO SHELLS TO TEUT0Ns' ONE
Ry Ed /. Keen
(unitsd Press star ,corrsspondsnt)

(unitsd Press STAR correspondsnt)
London, Dec, s0.-If John Bull
could see himself as others see him
he might mend his ways. But be
ing constitutionally unable to apply
the reverse English to his eyesight he
gives his friends, neighbors and enc
mics an erroneous notion of his dis
position. =
Country Not Despondent,
Americans recently arrived in Eng
land have been astonished to find that
this country is not in state of utter
dependency and demoralization. The
visitor soon becomes convinced that
the stories he has heard and read of
internal turmoil, dissension and lack
of interest in the successful prosecu-
ton of the war have been chiefly
made in Germany. He quickly learns
that although there has been much
grumbling about the management of
the war in the last year, certain
amount of Industrial unrest and a
negligible pro-peace sentiment, the
great mass of Britishers is more de-
termined today than when the war
started to defeat Germany thoroughly.
John is To Blame. 8
John has himself to blame for. the
unfavorable opinion of him that ap-
parently has been. growing in the
neutral world insthe last few months.
What's the matter with England,
anyhow ?.'S constantly comes the query
from his friends in America. Kip
ling says it's certain God-given
lack of imagination which saves us
from being over-concerned at the ef-
feet of our appearance on others."'
Others call it modesty; others stu
|pidity. .-
Dignity is Cause.
The worst failure of the year-the
loss of Bulgaria to the allied cause
might have been prevented by prop
:er amount of judicious self-advertis-
ing applied at the right time where
it would have done the most good.
But Johns dignity couldn't abide by
the press-agent methods as skillfully
employed by Kaiser Wilhelm. Bull
garia frankly put herself up for the
highest bidder and the safest guar
antee. Germany having a field in
the advertising line with no effective
counter-measures on the part of the
Allies, the Bulgars naturally con-
cluded that the central powers were
the most likely to be able to deliver
the goods: 1t pays to advertise, not
only for recruits but for possible al
lies.
Englishmen Grumble.
The Englishman's fondness for
grumbling which he simply can't curb
even in war time is another token of
his Indifference to outside opinion.
1t is the inalienable privilege Of the
British soldier to carry grouchs
against his officers, as it is the right
of the British civilian to denounce
the government. But this character
istic doesn't detract one whit from
the bravery of the one or the loyalty
of the other. It would be a great
mistake to regard the recent hot de-
bates in Parliament, the outspoken
and at times bitter criticism of mill
tary miscalculations and diplomatic
blunders, as evidences of mutiny or
even WEAKNESS of the struggle.
Has Had Many Failures.
True, the Englishman has found
plenty in the last year to which to ap-
ply his traditional prerogative. From