Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-03-02
WILSON POPULAR
IN GREAT BRITAIN
by nd l.. Keen
General European Manager OF the
United Press

Washington. Mar, s,---"of course
we should uphold our national honor.
II possible but we must at any cost
keep out OF this war"
According to the average Britisher.
this was the average Americans at
titued when I left England month
ago for q brief visit home.
In other words. John Bull was
satisfied that Uncle Sam was far
moro worried about keeping out OF
the war than he was over questions
or national honor. or the rights OF
humanity. or the preservation OF In
ternational justice,
I'VE should keep out OF this war,
II possible--but not al the cost OF
our self-respect."
A two-weeks' tour through the
east. south and middle west. which
included 16 states. has convinced me
that this Ii a much better interpre-
tation OF the average American view
than the one that was 30 widely pre-
valent In England before President
Wilson addressed his recent letter to
Senator Stone. In the circumstances,
it is not at all surprising that with
In the past few days the British press
has materially altered It's previously
unfavorable opinion Of the president,
Wilson today Is doubtless almost
as popular q figure In England as
Colonel Roosevelt.
After conversations with scores OF
fellow countrymen on the trains, In
cities, In town and country villages.
on the streets. In the store and by
the fireside. and returning to WASH
ington Just after the publication OF
the Stone correspondence. Il seemed
almost as II Wilson were speaking
by direct mandate from the people,
despite the fact that their represen-
tatives In congress were apparently
not all OF the same mind.
But the Britisher would make a
grievous mistake were he to con-
clude that the president Is about to
plunge the country ruthlessly into
war. As he indicated In his Gridiron
speech, he is quite as much concern
ed lest the country err on the side
OF rashness as on the side OF cow
ardice.
The impression In Germany today
that he Is really seeking break with
the Teutonic powers Is just as far
from the truth as the nation prevail
ing in England recently that he was
secretly favoring the German cause.
II was interesting to note during
the two weeks trip an even greater
unanimity OF opinion on the ques-
tion OF preparedness than on our
present attitude toward Germany.
Had there been less haste and great
er opportunities In inquiries. doubt
less would have been abel to dis
cover larger proportion OF anti
preparedness sentiment, but the fact
remains that ! encountered only two
persons who were opposed to any
campaign OF preparedness. One was
william ]. Bryan and the other was
a minister OF the gospel II Is only
fair to mention that there were sew
eral ministers among those inter-
viewed.
Bryan was delivering his anti
preparedness lecture in a Florida re-
sort town to an audience recruited
from widely scattered sections, OF the
country. He was given a respectful,
but unenthusiastic hearing. There
was no swaying of the audience as
in the old 16 to days. AS one OF
his hearers remarked after the lec-
ture:
1T is all very well for him to
argue that preparedness provokes
war; but where would the British
empire be today II England had not
been prepared on the sea?"