Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-03-08
PREMIER ASQUI7H
SCORES BRIT0NS
MRS. NORTON TELLS Of WASTE
FULNESS OF LEISURE GLASS
OF ENGLAND.

/
! OF ENGLAND.
BELIEVES ENGLAND SURE TO VIII
Social Changes are Certain to Fol-
low Greatest War of His
tory.
London, February II. 1915
If you were a Briton today, and
living on your native soil, there WOult
be several things engaging your par
ticular attention these days. Grant
ed that what affects your pocket
! book takes precedence, you would
be most concerned about what Prem
ier Asquith said yesterday at the
opening Of Parliament.
His tone was most serious as e
spoke Of the counrty's wastefulness
I believe slowly the British people
are beginning to awaken to this very
patent condition. 1t was truly de-
plorable before the war, when the
great landed leisure class, to- whom
work was a scandal, lived on their
! various landed estates, spending the
year first at one seat then at an
other, coming to London for the "sea-
son." devoting the autumn, winter
and spring months, to shooting diff
ferent kinds of game, hunting foxes,
ETC., and generally living lives Of vi
cious idleness. My closest contact
with this class has been on the ocean
liners, especially in the far east, and
I must say l was only disgusted and
alarmed by the vicious tendencies
saw in this. the aristocracy of Eng
land.
The logical outcome of this condi-
tion, has been to create a servility
among the thousands of 'free-born'
Englishmen, who served as the ten
ants and servants of this au-demand-
ing leisure class, that we Americans
find it hard to swallow. Also the
caste lines in this land have been so
tightly drawn that to my mind, it
has about killed all ambition in the
working classes. A ditch digger must
remain that. all his days, and his
son can aspire to no higher position.
II by dint of indomitable will and
astounding ability a man does climb
to the top yet he can never be admit
ted to the inner circle Of the ex-
elusive aristocracy. And yet, morally
and by virtue of native ability the
Iaristocrat probably is not worthy to
brush the boots of the former. But
I. am talking like a Socialist, although
II ann far from being one. Also, this
killing of the ambition of the work
ing man has more than anything else
led him to devote himself 10 drunk
enness. When he is drunk then he
finds himself the equal Of any, a ver-
liable lord of creation.
BY the way, that is one of the
questions that is troubling the Briton
of conservative ideals these days.
dont't mean the awful prevalence OF
drunkenness, not at all. Would to
God the English would awaken to this
awful curse, which is their greatest
enemy, and is increased greatly
since the war. wonder what an
American Of high ideas would feel,
one of the poor quarters of Chicago
Iif he should see, for instance, in
what we have seen in the Salt mark
ct Of Glasgow on a Saturday night,
five thousand drunken women ca
'rousing and reveuing.
No, it is not the drink evil that
lis troubling many .Britons, but the
fact that after the war, some social
conditions are bound to suffer change
English papers published pictures
Iof young soldier who had won great
,distinction for his courage in action.
Before this war, the man was a foot
man Irresistably TIE question oc-
ours to one Will he be footman
again after the war? from the
trenches to the tea-cups!! Will they
withdraw from the trenches to the
pantry? Not if they know it. The
first thing they tell you-the only
certain thing-is always: II shall
never go back to the old job" What
that means for the future Of England
no one knows, but one thing is sure,
it is bound to- be hard on the aristo-
Gratis. And it would be truly a salu-
tary thing, indeed, I believe tie sal
vation of England, possibly averting a
time of revolution, if all aristocracy
could be done away with, save that
Of personal worth and character.
Tho young men Of these highest SC
cial classes have in this war, proved
beyond a doubt their own personal
bravery. as officers. but alas, mt
their ability. What Great Britain
has needed above all else, has been
efficient officers, and these she has
lacked. Why? Chiffely because her
officers have almost all been recruit.
ed from the aristocracy, there have
been some "rankers," as they are
called. men who by sheer ability have
risen from the ranks. but these have
becn discouraged, and it is still the
men of proper birth and breeding
who fill these all imp portant posts. The
lower classes haven't had the init,
ative bred in them and the ambition,
and the aristocracy haven't the vir,
ility and the ability. and that is TIE
reason the British haven't had prop
ar officers One English TOmmie Sc i'll