The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1915-07-26

seen IN England, lOllOWS. tHlS
article is written by Ed l..
Keen.
London, July 26.--England's great
est victory in this year-old war was
won before the war started.
Forty or fifty years from how
the Germans willing-when the Brit
ish desire to honor the heroes of the
Great War, they doubtless will erect
imposing statutes of Sir John French,
Sir Douglas Haig, Sir Ian Hamilton,
Sis John Jellicoe, Sir Frederick Stur-
dee and Admiral John de Robeck
They may even include Lord kitch-
ener, although if popular vote were
taken at the present time, it is hard
ly likely the verdict in Kitcheners
favor would be unanimous.
But if the English nation should
fail to recognize in this distribution
of awards a certain blue-eyed young
statesman of dandified mien and lisp
ing voice, who by the fortunes Of
politics happened to be the First Lord
OF the Admiralty in the summer Of
1914, it will demonstrate that other
forms Of government besides repub-
lies are grateful.
England Was Ready.
"Brittania rules the waves today
because of Winston Churchill. To
his foresight, imagination and nerve
is due the fact that when the War
Lord threw down his gauntlet, the
British fleet was READY. England's
command of the seas was assured be-
fore Kaiser Wilhelm began scattering
war declarations through the chan
celleries Of Europe.
Perhaps Churchill KNEW. Any,.
how, most of his colleagues in the
in spite of them. His resignation
lay on the table, to be taken up if
events should prove that he was
wrong.
The Coast Was Guarded.
Early in July the grand feet had
assembled off the south coast of
England for it's annual play Of war.
The maneuvers followed their usual
course and under all the rules, the
fleet should have been scattered u
week before July %, the day Austria
declared war against Serbia. The
next day-three days before Germany
declared war against Russia, five days
before she declared war against
France and nearly week before
England officially entered the fray
Churchill converted the prolonged
maneuvers into the real thing. On
the night of July 20, there was flash
ed through newspaper Offices Of
London the brief announcement:
''The British fleet has left Portland
under sealed ORDERS" Where it went,
the writer didn't know then, he
doesn't know now-and if he did,
he wouldn't dare tell 1t isn't nee
essary to know The results are suf-
ficient The main fleet kept together
with superior forces ready to meet
the Germans should they come out
without previously notifying Great
Britain of their intention, with scouts
thrown out toward the German coast
to watch for them, and patrols to
guard the coast Of England.
There may be some doubt about
England's assistance to the Allies up
on the land. There can be no ques-
tion of her services upon the water
Her losses have been heavy both in
ships and men, but not in cOmmen-
surate with the advantages gained
for her allies as we'll as herself by re-
naming "mistress of the seas.' Be-
sides bottling up the German Crane
Fleet-the one outstanding achieve
ment of the entire War-EnglanC
speedily swept the German mercan
tile marine from the oceans, destroy
ed Won Specs rowing squadron, p'l1
out of business German commerce
raiders, and provided safe convoy
not only to her own troops and thei1
supplies across the channel, but tt
millions of dollars worth of arms ant
ammunition for both her allies ant
herself across the Atlantic. Ger
many's war of attrition, conducted by
means of submarines, can never over
come these results. And it is not de
tracing from the praise due Ad
miral Sturdee and his men for thei
wonderful work in hunting down AM
defeating Won Spec off the Falklan'
Islands to say that it was Churchill
who made this feat possible.
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