The Washington herald., 1917-01-08
ENGLISH HEART HURT
BY WORDS OF WILSON
Offended Because President Called AL
he'd Aims Same as Germany's.
By JOHN L. .BALDERyroN.
tCo1nsht, is7, b. the Mcclure Nswspap-r

By JOHN L. .BALDERsroN.
toouusht, 1917. p the Mcclure Nswpap-r
syndicate.l
London. Dec 23.-England cannot for
give the President or the people of the
United States for being morally neu-
naf' In this war. The peace proposal Of
President Wilson, which was sprung upon
London like a bombshell, angered a few
Engiishmen, amused a few, but hurt
the feelings Of many more than 1t anger
ed or amused. This story Is not con-
cerned with the Official attitude toward
the peace note. which may have been
made clear before this Is printed, but
with the effect of the document on the
British public.
Perhaps most Americans believe Eng
lishmen to be rather cold and supercili-
Gus, careless Of the effect of their actions
on other people, and little contemptuous
toward American and other neutral opin-
ion. There Is much to support this view
in the cold, legal, punctiliously courte-
GUS notes in which Viscount Grey replied
to the more humanistic documents ema-
mating from Washington. but after hav-
ing been In close contact with official and
popular English opinion throughout most
Of the war, I can say that II Is q false
view.
The anxiety of Britons TO be under
stood by Americans, to be sympathized
with, to obtain moral support for their
actions, Is somstimes almost pathetic.
and has always been evident. 1t 10 not
that EnSlishmsn love US, perhaps a feel
ing of irritation exists most of the time
as often between members of the same
family who are only too conscious of
one another's faults. But IN this war
they are dinly conscious of the fact that
the passions OF war have made cool tudg-
ment impossible in Europe, and they
look TO US because they feel that we are
Of the same stock. that our political ideals
are the same, and that our approval and
support will mean that future generations
Of Enslishmen will approve the course OF
their belligerent ancestors Because, as
a great London editor recently quoted to
me, Foreign opinion is contempora-
neous posterity.''
Trnde Advantages.
The Englishman talks about trade and
territorial advantages to be won from
this war. and he refrsins, with char
acteristic reserve from talking very
much about the idealistic phase of II.
which to him is the most important
OF all He does firmly believe that Ger
many at a chosen moment attempted
to snslave Europe; that Germany's de-
signs have been temporarily checked
by the allied armies, but will be carried
out IN the future IL she is not thoroughly
trounced in this war. He also believes
that by such acts as the sinking of the
Lusitania, the atrocities in Belgium, the
enslavement OF the conquered popula-
tons, Germany has put herself outside
the ranks Of civilized powers. And be-
lieving these things himself, he expects
America to believe them too
At the same time there Is wide
sympathy for the American desire to re-
main neutf al II possible, even though Eng
land and France in their own opinion
are fighting Americas battle for her. II
is not the failure to give armed help
that has so alienated feeling here as
the failure to pronounce a benevolent Mt
neutrality. to state officially that America
stands for the things England and
France stand for and against the things
Germany stands for.
II these facts are grasped the Aneri-
can can understand how It is that the
Presidents peace note proved, I think.
the greatest shock of the war to Eng
hshmen. not because II suggested peace,
but because it suggested that the allies
principles that the Germans are fghtins
the allies.
Have Quoted Comment
Ever since the note waz published the
London newspapers have quoted every
scrap Of newspaper comment cabled from
America crfticising the Presidents stand
point, and have by headlines and other
tricks Of the newspaper trade, given their
readers to understand that American
opinion condemns Wilson's interference.
This shows how anxious people here still
are for moral support from the people
of the United States, even after the Pres
ident has, in their view. betrayed the
cause of humanity by denying that stakes
Of right and wrong are being fought for
k4 this conflict.
cannot better illustrate this predomi-
nant feeling here that Wilson in NOV
ing for peace should not have denied the
sanotity OF the allied cause, than by
quoting the remarks made to me today
by foreign office official, a hard-headed
diplomat who had never before in the two
years I have known him, displayed any
sentiment in discussing American rela-
tons.
TT isn't that Wilson is trying to stop
the war while we are just getting ready
to knock the Germans out after having
had the worst OF 1t through all the
earlier rounds" said this man, that
makes US feel SO badly about this thing.
1t is true that the United States could
seriously hamper US by declaring an en-
barge on raw materials, though not by
stopping munitions. but we don't be-
lieve there Is any chance you will do
that And We are not worried about any
thing you may do II we go on fighting.
as we intend to go on. until we have de-
feated Germany. We should not have
| taken It at all amiss II President Wilson
had written US a note In some such vein