The Washington times., 1915-07-29
AS. SEEN IN ENGLAND
BY ED L. KEEN,

AoNDoN, July zS.- Are We
down-hearted? NOR with .
heavy accent on the mo-"
This Is the slogan of British
footfal u fans in the bleachers Tor
the English equivalent thereby
when the home team appears to
be getting the worst Of 1t. And
the more precarious the situation
the heavier the accent
Since the failure Of the Anglo
French spring offensive In Fland-
ers. the disastrous defeats Of the
Russians. the news OF the unsatis-
factory progress OF the bardanelles
campaign. the development of the
Fisher-Churchill scandal, the
French Kitchener row.. and the
disclosures regarding Britain's
woeful lack of the implements or
warfare. eliminating in the dis
ruption of the cabinet, this atti-
tude Of the bleacherites has be-
come the attitude of the British
public.
And when the British public says
II is not downhearted II means II.
Proof of this lies in the splendid
fashion in which the workingmen
OF the nation have answered the
call for Industrial re-enforcements
tbear In mind that 80 per cent OF
the British public consists Of
workingmen. their Women and chill
dren); also in the marvellous re-
sponse to the priIne minister's ap-
peal Tor an adequate supply OF
SILVER bullets.y Never in the history
or any nation has a popular war
loan met with such success.
For the apathy displayed by the
ha trSf ton nnt,th .Nf hA
war the British government has only
itself to blame. The leaders Of the
nation made the mistake OF inirust-
Ing the entire conduct OF the war on
land to one man-perhaps a military
genius, but with serious limitations
on the human side. including an ut
ter inability to understand the civil
Ian temperament. For seven months
the war was conducted In secret.
Through h the anonymous '.Eyewit-
casional optimistic but colorless
story from the front. the burden OF
which was that everything was going
along splendidly. that the Germans
were losing heart. that they had
been compelled to put their old men
and young boys In the firing line
and always conveying the impress
sion that ultimate victory was a
foregone conclusion. Not until March
was single newspaper correspond
ent permitted at the 'front.' and even
then they were not allowed to tell
the whole truth.
No wonder enlistments were slow.
The fact that Lord Kitchener was
able to enroll more than 1000 600 vol
unteers in this period is sure proof
of the latent spirit of patriotism In
the British public. But there was no
enthusiasm. such as had been aroused
In Germany by the first-hand stories
from the trenches, told by cores
pondents who were permitted to go
practically wherever they chose and
to write pretty mucn wnat tney
liked.
The worklngmen Of the nation have
been severely criticised for their
failure to appreciate the gravity OF
the situation-for their strikes, their
slackness. and their alleged over-in-
oulgehce In liquor. The fact Is they
did not understand because they
were not told. So far they knew VIC
tory was assured anyhow. They went
along much the same as in peace
times. and when they had reason to
believe that their employers were
taking advantage of them, they
struck. They didn't speed up. either
sary or because 1t was their employ
ers and not they themselves who
would profit. AS to the charge OF
wholesale drunkenness. the mere
fact that the government quickly
abandoned its proposed drastic tenn
perance measure is sufficient an
swer.
But now II is no longer "Kitche-
ner's war" il Is the empires.
Lloyd George has told not only
the workingmen but the entire ma
ton the truth. And the most strtk-
ingman's Willingness to help the en-
pire In its great need is the fact that.
although it was Lloyd George him
self who first accused him Of slack
ness and drunkenness. the recruiting
Of his new Munitions Army started
with an average enlistment Of 10000
per day.
II industrial conscription should be-
come desirable. there need be no fear
of industrial revolution. Said Lord
Miner in the house OF Lords the
other day: There is an idea that
commandeered for the service Of the
state. That IS just what It will not
resent. II we are ordered to work
for England I heard some typical
representatives OF working g-class
obey The only trouble has been
that go many workingmen have
feared that their labor would not
simply be requisitioned for the de-
fense Of the country. but exploited
Tor the benent OF lndlVlnuals. Ihe
government has guaranteed that
there will be no exploitation. and
that guarantee has been signed by
Labor's own representatives in the
new cabinet. Arthur Henderson. and
by It's various leaders in the house
Of commons
This spirit OF anti-down-hearted-
ness is general in England today.
The attitude Of complacency on the
part OF the upper classes and OF
apathy among the lower classes has
given way to one OF united determt-
nation.