Water Valley progress., 1915-05-22

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An official said to me that beiittling
of the foe or Of his strength was the
last thing desired by the authorities.
It is known here, for constant express
sion is given to 1t, that whichever side
wins In this fight will know that 1t has
been In fight. The German does not
belittle the fighting qualities of the
Englishman. nor does the Englishman
say one word in depreciation Of the
prowess of the German.
London is queer place in some
ways these days, but no queerer prob
ably than New York or Chicago would
be in circumstances akin to those ex-
listing here. The EngIishman is great
for freedom Of speech and this is why,
probably, that men are allowed to
speak publicly in Hyde Park and Re-
gents park against war, and so
strongly in favor of immediate peace
without much regard to terms that 1t
would seem to the stranger and the
pilgrim that the utterances from the
point of view of authority would be
almost treason.
Side by side in the parks with the
peace pleaders are the recruit plead
ers, who extol the giories Of the en-
pire. the righteousness of the war and
the necessity for filling up the ranks
at the front as fast as they are de-
pleted.
attended morning service on East
er day in st. Paul's cathedral. The
words of the ante-communion service.
barely had been intoned before
voice, high pitched. rose from the GEN.
ter OF the great edifice interrupting the
service and directing the attention OF
the praying congregation to an anti
war meeting which was to be held In
Hyde park that afternoon. The dean
had left the altar to go to the pulpit.
He paid no attention to the voice that
was raised in the midst Of the thou
sands Of people in the ediflce.
Two soldiers among the worshipers
| sprang at the man who had interrupt
ed the service. but, quick as they
| were. two vergers, or sections as We
call them in America, were quicker
and had the intruder by the collar and
1
making him walk In the so-called
Spanish fashion toward the nearest
| entrance. This incident was consid-
cred hardly strange or interesting
enough for comment by the London
newspapers, for they gave It only one
line mention, and yet such thing in
the United States would probably have
been given column.
| Has Big Home Guard.
England has big home guard and
London has its share of It. The vol
unteers in its ranks are men still at
| for comparatively active service, but
untitled by the advance Of years or
by some slight physical ailment to un-
dertake the hardships incident to cam
paigning at the front.
| It Is interesting to see these men at
their work In the field. They go after
business hours to the outlying parks,
| where they are instructed and drilled
by veteran regulaSs who have learned
their lessons in foreign fields. The
boy Of seventeen or eighteen, Just un-
der the age for active service. drills
side by side with the man OF forty.
| five, at whose time of life the heyday
in the soldier blood Is supposed to be
tame London. and all England for
that matter. has made its preparation
for defense from invasion. whether
the invader comes through the air or
over the sea- Invasion by actual
| armed bodies Of men Is not looked
upon here as a probability, but have
heard 1t spoken Of as possible by
man in public speech within twenty
four hours.
| England is still wrathful over the
| submarine attacks on its merchant
marine. The recent sinking of a pas
senger ship. the Falaba. has maddened
men here. To considerable extent
at this time of writing the land opera
tions and the possible shadowing Of
| this town by the wings Of hostile
war bird have been forgotten In the
| excitement and resentment because
of the activities in the channel and
| the Irish sea OF the under-the-water
boats of the Germans.
| II seems to be recognized by English
men that the hunting down Of the sub
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minutes later Mr.. Edmonson was able
| to leave to Gloss the contract and
| take advantage Of an option, which is