New-York tribune., 1915-11-04

what it meant. For days that were pre-
cious and portentous the official policy of
Great Britain was TO seek, because min
istry which had luled the public into false
security was compelled to wait until some
thing like the invasion Of Belgium gave
temporary spur to British imagination and
patriotism.
Now the ministry which is responsible
for this has technically departed. But the
same conspicuous figures, particularly Mr..
Asquith and Mr.. Grey, remain. There
is nothing unforgivabe in bunders, per-
haps, although some blunders pass human
understanding and tax human endurance,
but when to these are added the failures
and fascos of the past fifteen months, then
il becomes difficult to understand the reap
pearance of the same arrogance. cocksure-
ness. impatience and contempt of criticism
which characterized the same men when
they were making what the whole world
knows now were colossal bunders Of meal
culable injury TO their country.
An American view of British conditions
to-day is necessarily affected by the scanty
store of accurate information at hand here.
Criticisms are based upon dangerous half
truths necessarily. But. at bottom, the
feeling of apprehension not as to the ulti-
mate outcome but as to the intermediate
consequences Of the present regime is
traceable in no small degree TO the fact
that it is a similar type Of political wis
dom and political manipulation which has
made Americas role so contemplate in
recent months. We have suffered in peace
from vices which, in our eyes, are discover
able in the whole face of British affairs
at this moment, and the same lack of con-
fidence which many Americans feel in
their own government inspires them with
distrust of the British.
One is bound, after all. to reflect upon
the incredible good fortune of the United
States in the Civil War in finding and
keeping a great leader. A contrast of the
humility, the self-effacement, the patient
wisdom of Abraham Lincoln with the at
titude and action Of Mr.. Asquith must
be a revelation.
For mistakes there was no cover and no
disguise. For all aid. service, effort there
was ready appreciation and an insured
hearing. Through all the night of agony
and despair that lasted for four long
years there was no attempt to deceive by
words. to trick by political manipulation.
Lincoln did not resort to the shams of the
campaign orator to destroy critics in
whose censure there was justice and rea
son. however mingled it was with malice.
The recollection Of our own great trial
has made it easy for US Americans to
grasp and appreciate much of the British
situation. The failure of generals, of i'm
provised armies, Of ill-advised campaigns,
the heartbreaking depression that comes
when men and munitions are found and
the leader does not appear, all these are
easily understood by us. So also is the
strength that underlies the weakness of
democracies, which gives them victory in
the end because it grows with danger and
defeat, while autocracy and monarchy nee
eSsarily weaken in adversely.
All this Americans comprehend, but this
does not yet enable them TO grasp the Brit
lsh situation because ic remains always
incomprehensible that the men who are
responsible for unnecessary perils, who
deceived the nation with words and de-
luded it by empty phrases, should be able
TO hold on in power and continue, not
chastened or taught by the past, but cling
ing still to the old fatal method.
No sensible person in America expects
England to fail, TO lose the war, to col
lapse, but there remains the wonder as
to how much longer it will be before Eng
land is awake in every part as France
has been for all these terrible and glorious
months that have won for the French
the right to be hailed as the true defenders
of the faith that is democracy.