Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-12-30
By Ed L. Keen.

London, Dec. 30.-If John Bull could
see himself as others see him, he might
mend his ways. But being constitution
ally unable to apply the reverse Eng
hsh to his eyesight he gives his friends,
| nelghbors and enemies an erroneous no.
tion Of his disposition.
Americans recently arrived in Eng
land have been astonished to find that
this country is not in a state Of utter
dependency and decentralization. The
visitor soon becomes convinced that the
stories he has heard and read of in
ternal turmoil, dissension and lack Of
interest in the successful prosecution
of the war have been chiefly made in
Germany. He quickly learns that al
though there has been much grumbling
about the management of the war in the
last year, q certain amount of indus.
trial unrest and negligible pro-peaee
sentiment, the great mass of Britishers
is more determined today than when
the war started, to defeat Germany
thoroughly.
John has himself to blame for the
unfavorable opinion of him that ap-
parently has been growing in the neu.
tral world in the last few months.
what 8 the matter with England,
anyhowf" constantly comes the query
from his friends in America. Kipling
says it's "certain God.given lack of
imagination which saves us from being
over-coneerned at the effect of our ap.
pearances on others" Others call it
mOdesty; others, stupidity.
1t Pays to Advertise.
The worst failure Of the year-the
loss of Bulgaria to the allied cause
might have been prevented by proper
amount Of iudicious self advertising ap-
piled at the right time where it would
have done the most good. But John Is
dignity couldn't abide, the press agent
methods as skilfully applied by Kaiser
Wilhelm. Bulgaria frankly put herself
up for the highest bidder and the safest
guarantee. Germany having a field in
the advertising line with no effective
counter on the part of the al
lies, the Bulgars naturally concluded
that the central powers were the most
likely to be able to deliver the goods
1t pays to advertise, not only for re.
cruits but for possible allies.
The Enghshman's fondness for
grumbhng, which he simply can't curb
even in war time il another token of
his indifference to outside opinions.
1t is the inalienable privilege of the
British soldier to carry a crouch against
his Officers, as it Is the right of the
British civilian to denounce the gov
ernment. But this characteristic doesn T
detract one whit from the bravery of
the one or the loyalty of the other
II would be great mistake to regard
the recent hot debates in parliament
the outspoken and at times bitter criti.
cisms of military miscalculations and
diplomatic blunders, as evidences of
mutiny or even WEAKNESS of the struc
gle.
The Enghshmans Prerogative
True, the Englishman has found plen-
ty in the last year to which to apply
his traditional prerogative. From the
grumblers' point Of view it has been
dismal chapter. The Dardanelles dis.
aster, the Gallipoli fiasco, the failure of
the Big Push on the western front in
the spring and fall, the German occupa.
tion of Poland, the obliteration of S er-
bia and the British retreat in Mesopo.
tamia, against which the accession of
Italy to the allied cause and her recent
brilliant operations on the Isonzo front.
the British conquest of German South.
west Africa, the putting out of busi.
ness of some go German submarines in
the North sea and adjacent waters, and
the successful invasion of the Baltic by
British submarines, make a COMPARE.
lively meagre offset, in the grumblers'
opinion.
After all, Great Britain really owes
a good deal to the Whimperers, as Pre-.
mier Asquith in moment of petulance
recently labeled them. If it hadn 4
been for these whimperers the country
and the war would still be managed by
the old party cabinet 1t was the
grumblers who exposed the lack of high
explosives and by persistent denuncia-
tlon of those responsible brought about
the creation of the ministry of mum.
tions. 1t is these pestiferous naggers
who are to be credited with the scotch
ing Of the German spy system in Eng
land through the wholesale internment
OF enemy aliens, the reduction of Ger
many's high-eXplosive resources by
making cotton absolute eontraband, and
the partial reformation of the censor
ship whereby at times the veil Of sec.
recy has been lifted from the battle