Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1916-11-04
AMERICANS DIT NOT
UNDERSTAND BRITISH
Wouldn't Feel That. 1"Shudder-
ing Horror AS To War.
(By International News service.)

is conducting kind OF debate on the
subject of the United States with an
other publicist in the press here.
In his latest article he agrees with
his opponent that no American feels
that "shuddering horror at the idea
of a 'fratricida1 war between Eng
land and America, which most Eng
lishmen quite sincerely feel
He continues:
81 have left out France deliberate
" because he would certainly regard
that as more tragic and would feel
some shadow of the sentiment which
we supposed him to feel in regard to
an Anglo-Ameriean conflict But that.
as / say. is undertaking The case. It
is further true that. at any rate IN
til the rise of Japan. England was re.
garded in America not only as Pc
tential enemu, but as the potential
enemy.
az do not mean that Americans
hated England or desired war with
England; but / do mean that they
are normally thought of the English
as the people they had generally
fought and might have to fight again.
They thought, and to a great extent
still think of them, as we thought Of
the French before the aggrandize.
ment of Germany and the growth Of
the Entente.
"If you go into any of the hum
bier type of saloons in an American
city you will almost certainly see
prominently displayed one of two
prints-generahy both Of them. on
is George Washington Delivering
His Farewell Address and the other
is Commander Perry Burning the
British Fleet
ut is just possible that You have
forgotten that Commander Perry
burnt the British fleet. II is even
possible that he never did. As a fact.
believe he burnt small British
squadron on Lake Erie during the
war of 1872 by the way, 7 wonder
how many English people remember
that there was a war with America i'll
1912. All Americans remember it
perhaps not unnaturally since we
burnt their capital.
such is the normal American at
titude towards this country. and such
its contrast with our Illusions on the
subject OF course, there is an al
most equal am ount of illusion an the
other side. Let ne illustrate this by
an incident which happened to my
self. l was DEBATING with byphe-
mated American in New York ON the
subject of the European war. and /
had quoted the opening sentences Of
the Declaration of Independence a. 1t
fair summary of the principles fer
which. as | maintained the Allie
were fighting
"a very sympathetic American came
up to me afterwards to congratulate
me ON my speech and especially upon
nv magnanimiy in quoting with ap-
proval document which mus, be SO
odious to my countrymeu He went
on to say in effect, that ii seemed 10
him a good omen, and that H. could
only hope that the resentment OF
England against the proceedings OF
the late General Washington was
somewhat abatihg.
81 do not think he believed nae
when I told him that it was only al
ter reading American books on the
subject that discovered that Eng
land had any ease at all in the War
of Independence. which my school
history had taught me to regard as
a simple struggle between American
right and British wrong.
Now if you grasp these truths in
regard to the american temper, and
consider their inevitable consequeu
ces, you will realize another fact of
the greatest possible importance. You
will realize that the Anglo-SaXou-
cousins-too}ong idedhands-across
the-sea attitude IS not only not recip
rocated in America, hut is actively
resented there, and helps TO increase
the antagonism,
"W'hat seems to Us a noble mig
nauimity-seems to the American
simply piece Of darnod insolenee
we don't think Of the Americans a.
foreigners said Mr. Il. G. Wells in
recent CONTROVERSY
q can imagine the effect Of thfe
sort of generosity en- q typical pat
rlotic American, ! can imagine him
answering Mr. Wells somewhat al
follows:
"You overwhelm me. Sir You do
me too much Honor
In other words sir. If Gym az
thinking Of doing Us ne csnacsaea-
sion to annex US, I CUES thar yau
viii brt.a 10 c.ryx-rsr,'-f q Tho ii+t1a fHs-