Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-19
ENGLAND TODAY

"LNOR IT'S English, doancher-know'-the
J. phrase used to suggest such a variety
Of pictures, from the swagger young fop,
sucking his cane down Piccadilly, up the
scale to royalty, and down to the other eX-
'treme, our comedy-stage notion Of the cock
ney, blithely dropping his his and singing
coster songs. Today, however, these thoughts
are almost forgotten and the word English
suggests only a nation in the throcs of war
And then we drift along into mild or sor-
rowful or violent thoughts, according we
are neutral pro or anti-the-Alies
The months magazines present a compre-
hensive picture of English life today, as the
nation adapts herself to wartime conditions
with two glimpses from the past, as
in the memoirs of II. r. II. the lnfanta
Eulaia of Spain, which are appearing in
the Century %:
Spaniards are simply incapable or under
standing the English love of life in the open
air. More than that, they are inclined to
look upon such taste as rather ill-bred. For
instance, only the humblest Spaniard would
dream of eating his cold lunch by the road
side, and / am sure that the true aristocrat
would never appreciate the charm of seeking
out some picturesque spot and having tea
from tea basket. No Spanish lady of quail
ity would even allow herself to walk hatless
in her own garden, and reclining in ham
mock or on the grass would he ruthlessly
banned. one summer day Queen Christina
came to me with look of sheer consterna-
tion on her face. "Gulalia," she said, II have
just seen an appalling siGht-an English
woman lying on the grass in the park" The
culprit was a lady-in- waiting, who had been
brought to Spain by an English Princess
visiting the court. l had some difficulty in
convincing the Queen that such action
would not be considered a shocking breach
of etiquette in England.
One thing that used to delight me was the
tnformality of the English tea. 1t was in
Variably served ceremonle in the draw
ing room. After the servants had brought
in they retired and left us to our own
devices. Neghbors frequently dropped in
without warning, and often as we gathered
round big blazing fire and ate those Won
derful homemade delicacies unknown to
oontinentals, there was a charming feeling
of eNpansiveness and intimacy that we
never had at other times of the day. OF
late years have noticed that the custom
has changed You find your place set at
a table loaded with expensive flowers and
accessories from the chic caterer; footmen
are in constant attendance, and the charm
of informality has entirely gone
Asquith Speaks for England
There is official significance to Mr., AS
quith's statement, quoted by G. Loves Dick
inson in the Atlantic Monthly (2). 1t is, to
be sure, the statement OF an ideal, toward
which. as Mr.. Asquith points out, there has
been little progress in the last so years, but
that he should emphasize it just now gives
1t both interest and importance:
should like, if l might for a moment
beyond this inquiry into causes and motives,
to ask your attention and that of my coun-
trymen to the end which in this war we
ought to keep in view. Forty-four years
ago at the time of the war of 1870, Mr..
Gladstone used these words. He said: "The
greatest triumph of our time will be the
enthronement of the idea of public right as
the governing idea of European politics."
Nearly so years have passed, Little prog
ress, 1t seems, has yet been made toward
that good and benehcent change. but ii
seems to me to be now at this moment as
good definition as we can have of our
European policy.
The idea OF public right-what does IL
mean when translated into concrete terms?
IL means first and foremost the clearing of
the ground by the definite reputation of
militarism the governing factor in the
relation of States and OF the future molding
OF the European world. 1t means next that
room must be found and kept for the in
dependent existence and the free deyeIop-
ment OF the smaller nationalities-each with |
a corporate consciousness of its own.
Belgium, Holland and Switzerland tha |
scandinavian countries, Greece and the Bal |
kan States-they must be recognized as |
having exactly as good a title as their more
powerful neighbors to place in the sun
And IL means, finally, the substitution Tor
force OF European partnership, based on |
the recognition of equal right and estab- |
lished ana enforced by a common will.
year ago that would have sounded like q /
Utopian idea. 1t Is probably one that NAV |
not or VIII not be realized either today or /
tomorrow II and when this war Is decided /
in favor or the Allies, Ii will at once come /
within the range and before long within 1
the grasp OF European statesmanship.
War always means hrst the soldiers Ia the |