The Washington herald., 1915-08-29
TOMMY atkins
Eager TO MOVE
British Soldiers Impatient at
Not Being Sent to
Front.
RESENTFUL OF CRITICISM
Men of Kitchener New Army Anxious
for the Great Offensive
to Begin.
RESENTFUL OF CRITICISM


London, Aug 8-In the Spanish-Amer-
lean war I witnessed at Chickamausa
Park certain New York regiment en-
camped there going In a body to the
tent of the colonel in command and IN
very plain words telling him that unless
they were permitted to go to the front
within a very short time they would re-
fuse to drill any more The colonel, who
was probably In sympathy with his men.
went to Washington the next day and
returend shortly afterwar1 with the
order to go to Matanzas.
The very same spirit Is to be found at
present among officers and men Of Kitch-
ener's new army, though they probably
do not intend to use such drastic means
to accomplish their purpose.
have met during the last month or
more. ever since the Russians began to
retreat, a great many soldiers here. ofh-
GERS as well as privates, who openly ex-
pressed their disgust at being kept I'm
idleness here. when they were fully
equipped and well trained to go to the
front. and when the press q the allies.
Russian as well as French, almost daily
made it known that they were waiting
for the arrival of the English to begin
''the great offensive which Is to drive the
Germans back across their own frontier
and end the war"
All these men very keenly felt that
the criticism against the English for
holding a front of only thirty-four miles
more than a year after the beginning of
the war Is not unjustified.- Not one of
them could find a single reason why the
war department insists in keeping such
huge forces on English soil.
I have heard Frenchmen here in Lon
don. who a year ago were full Of enthusi-
Se- -.;xr
increasing bitterness against the English
military authorities. while at the same
time fully appreciating the invaluable
services rendered by the British navy.
Germany. who through her spies Is
fully aware of the feeling among the
French people at home. is at the same
time keeping up vigorous campaign to
spread the impression that England will
do nothing on land. France and Russia
are so weakened that England, after
stepping in as a rescuing god in the
eleventh hour. will be in position to
pose as having saved the situation and
thus be entitled to hold the control
ling vote on the peace conference after
the war.
There is a certain danger In this which
the English government does not appear
to have fully realized
The German diplomats are now busily
engaged trying to make capital out of the
old animosities between the Flemish and
the WalIoon population OF occupied Bel
GUM.
Through the voice of her statesmen,
professors and journalists. Germany Is
endeavoring to convince the Flemish peo-
pie that she recognizes them as her blood
relations and brethren and that she has
no higher desire than to deliver them
from the French yoke.
prominent Flemish patriot, who real
ICES what 0ermany's real intentions are
and who recently succeeded In making
his escape through Holland into this
country. tells me a couple of Incidents
which are very instructive.
During the past winter, he says, a
famoua Belgian historian received Q Wis
1t from one of GermanyS great lu-
minaries. Professor Lambrecht. who died
snort time ago The German profess
sor Immediately began to speak to his
Belgian colleague Of the close affinity
Of race between the Germans and part
Of the Belgians.
He swore that the Kaiser was by no
means inspired by the evil intentions
attributed to him by wicked people; on
the contrary he never for a moment had
thought of annexfng Belgium, but sim
ply desired to acquire the coast of tho
country as bulwark against England,
anu thio fGdAy VIC b8u duSdutdSo
also to the Belgians. who would thus
themselves be protected against the pe--
fdious country across the North Sea.
which was their greatest and bittercst
enemy.
IF Belgium would enter into some form
of a union with Germany her people
would get full freedom to develop their
magnificent gifts. while otherwise such
a thing would be quite impossible" lie
continued. Germany. the most noble
minded and generous counts in the
world. would then found a new country.
Franconia. and found number of uni
versities there for the inhabitants of the
Latin race
The Belgian professor with all the
courtesy due scientific celebrity de-
clared that this project had not the slight
est chance of success and that not a
single Belgian would think of entering
such a German university. On the other
hand, he declared. far from looking upon
England as an enemy. Belgium would
try to get into even closer touch with
that country.
While trying TO prove the close racial
affinity between the Flemish and the
Germans, Prof Lambrecht mentioned as
a proof Of his contention that the Dukea
OF Brabant took the oath Of loyalty In
Latin. French and "Dietsch." which
was really "Deutsch CGerman), ana he
was greatly taken aback when his Bel
gian colleagues assured him that there
was not a single educated Belgian whS
did not know that '.Dietsch'' was reall.
"Thiois.' the old French word for Flem.
ish The German scientist admitted ie
was possible he had made a mistake.
Prof. Lambrecht afterward called on
two other Belgian scientists. although
warned that each of them had lost .
son lighting against the Germans. In
each case he was politely but firmly
shown the door.
Barrie's New Play.
r NJ Barrie will this season give New