The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-22
WAR ECHOES


 Cleveland Plain Dealer: The common phrase at the front in the British army for the death of comrade has it that he is going west" In due course the usage has drifted home, and now fair sized controversy has arisen in the Lon don Times over the meaning and origin of the words Obviously the idea is ancient rather than modern. "Go west, young man." is the modern American version or an idea which Bishop Berkeley expressed a century earlier in his line Westward the course Of empire takes It's way For the contrary view. that the west is place of darkness and mystery, a sim pier and more primitive age must be sought.
 The first correspondent of the London Times found the desired idea in the Odys- sey. The conception of the western ocean as the place of all mysteries was natural enough in a world that ended at the Pil- lars of Hercules. Other learned corre- spondents have proceeded to point out me obvious truth that the idea was not con fined to Helas, but existed among count less peoples, from the Dayaks up, in cluding the ancient Egyptians and Baby lonians. Undoubtedly the idea of sunrise and sunset, of darkness in the west. is re- sponsble for this broad, primitive origin.
 As often with folklore. Celtic sources give the pithiest examples. One writer thinks that the phrase at the front must have first fallen from the lips of Mun- stermen, among whom it is everyday speech. "Is it Pat OSullivan? Poor fel- low he's gone wesht." Even lost shilling is gone west. Food and drink are sent west: e. g. of bottle of stout, Put it wesht and come ann wid ye." Oddly enough, the commentators can find little reference to the idea in early English lit Midland verses, dated about 1400, and running thus in modernized form:
 Women and many a goody wight
 As wind and water are gone west
 Even Wordsworth has been cited in the controversy, but most of the writers con- cede that Tommy Atkins acquaintance with the Lake School of Poets is very, slight. One correspondent, soldier home from the front, pooh-poohs the whole folklore notion and puts the phrase up to song lately sung at bivouac concert, Drake Goes Vest He may be right. But there is no mistaking of old origins of the notion, however the phrase of Homer happened to become a commons place of a modern European battlefield.
 Pittsburg Dispatch: The opportunity to make an outcry over an insult to the flag is not very favorable when worked by so one-sided factor as Karl von Weigand, with regard to a vessel that was taken into Kirkyall and Leith harbor, examined there and then allowed to pro- ceed to Bremen.
 This statement of the proceedings is equal to saying that the vessel was de- tained, examined and allowed to proceed In most respects this is in accord with the views avowed on both sides There is still some dispute about taking vessels into harbors for examination. But when we contrast that step with the German course of burning or sinking prizes on the high seas, there does not seem to be reason for high attitude on the part of the United States
 The right of foreign cruisers to search neutral vessels for contraband is beyond dispute. It has been admitted by our government with no more limit asked for it than that of reasonable promptitude. Therefore vessel bound for a German port which has been simply delayed three days for examination and then allowed to go on, is mainly in a position to ac- knowledge its good fortune and mild treatment.