New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-08
England Not Apprehensiyc.

another furious exaggeration: II is
said that England, and especially Lon
don, is in a state of apprehension. |
would call that German lie If It were
not an editorial exaggeration. | have
lived here for six years and ] have
seen no sign, not even thu flicker Of
an eyelid over IT, The only time the
English people really let themselves
go is when victory comes. They have
always been able to stay the course
until that moment had come. The
only time England got a really good
dressing down was when t'e American
revolters tackled her. but that was not
case OF the Almighty ..eating a new
kind of man TO beat the English. but
was a case Of English bred men fight
ing for a good cause against English
bred men lighting for a bad one. A
quarter Of century later England set
herself 20 bring down the greatest gen.
eral-Napol ard the finest armies
the world had ever seen. She did IL.
We are going TO bring down the Kaiser
much more easily than we brought
down Napoleon, and in a much shorter
time.
dublin in ashes This editorial
statement IS another furious eXaggera-
ton. You must take the wrong end Of
a telescope 10 your eye to see Dublin
in ashes. Those who have made such
a mess Of the Philippines ought TO APP
prcciate the marvellous triumph Of
Great Britain in founding an empire
which extends over one-hfth of the
globe and contains one-ffth Of the
worlds inhabitants of all races and all
compilations, men who, when the Brit
81 Of 20
the core 70 the uttermost limits. Liars
and weaklings could not do that. With
military expeditions on three conti-
nents mistakes were bound 10 happen
With ministers graphing with enor-
nous problems Of war. finance and food
supplies problems for which they had
never had any adequate preparation
one is prepared also for number Of
mistakes Some things which excite
US properly excite our disgust or our
Indignation. and these create clrcum-
stances entirely beyond the power Of
ministers to control. Take the ques-
ton of military compulsion. Before the
war no statesman OF either party dared
to propose 10 the English people a
state Of compulsion. In this the Eng
lish people are just like our American
cousins, and they are among the bright
est and most experimental people on
the face OF this earth. You cannot
drive the English people as easily as
the Kaiser can drive his subjects. be-
cause Englishmen are not easily
driven. while the Germans are ready
to bow down TO anything in a uniform.
Compulsion a Fine Thing.
But the most wonderful thing in the
I. -. s.t, az
pened last night, showing that John
Bull is beginning TO rub his eyelids
and get fit 10 perform his accustomed
trick Of getting the best Of things By
a majority OF 1923 votes TO SO the House
Of Commons decreed universal compul-
sion. II they had proposed IL six
months ago / don't know where we
would have been. The ingrsined feel
ing Of British democracy is so intense
Is against military compulsiOn.
know the public men Of England we'll.
know men Of all parties well. al
though | have never had party associa-
tons in England. | can fling back with
the utmost scorn and Indignation that
vile attack upon their verify. They
are, ir point of personal honor at least,
the equals Of the vast majority Of the
noble and truthful race whereto they
belong. When The Tribune writer
says democracy has failed in England
I. knowing a little more about IL than
he. say that. so far from democracy
having expired. she is only troubled By
the pangs of a new birth-that Of q
grander democracy still
As one Of the leaders Of the Opposi-
ton Lord Miners comment is par
ticularly significant. With Sir Edward
Carson he has been agitating for con-
scription, having just won the long
fight In conversation with him yester-
day, he ssid
~ think there is a good deal Of truth