The Washington herald., 1917-07-01
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they are to guarantee Germany
against unpleasant surprises.
British and French observers
have been watching the course Of
events in the United States since
Hope and apprehension were bal
anced at the beginning; 1t can be
said now that in both London and
Paris the dominant feeling lie that
America; has done. Sc far, much
cent trip iA to ne1ceo Ffance / found f French r
opinion. especially. enthusiastic
about the prospects Of decisive help
from the new, and old, ally of the
republic. Englishmen, traditionally
more reserved, are more inclined
are ready to say generously that
the progress we have made already
has agreeably surprised them.
America Surprised Britain.
Before last April" a member of
the British cabinet told me. I'VE were
inclined to believe that your entry
into war would be followed by period
of complete chaos. There were very
good reasons to think this; the pres
ence Of SO many Germans among you,
foreign alliances; your unpreparedness
for war, and your political system. We
expected very little more, during the
first months at any rate, than money
and additional food and munition sup
plies.
"In less than two months you adopt
ed conscription. to our extreme aston
ishment. You lent US more money
than We should have dreamed of ask
ing. You ordered an American diyi-
sion to France. as an evidence of a
host to come that must decide the war
II the enemy Is presumptGous enough
to prolong' II to meet your troops. And
You renuered US invaluable aid by
ignoring conservative views of naval
affairs and detaching from your main
fleet. light craft for use in our waters
against submarines. Any man who
America, forced reluctantly into war
by the submarine, would throw her
self into the struggle in this whole
hearted fashion at the very begin
ming. would not have been believed
here. We expected you to be drawn
in little by little until at the end you
would be fighting as hard as any OF
US, but We did not think you could
realize SO quickly and SO splendidly
the task before you. Certainly the
Germans did not think so. II they had,
they would not have challenged you"
OF all the reports coming from the
United states, those which have
the accounts of discomfort express
ed by American newspapers and
public men at the slowness in
Washington. at the Irritating be-
havior of Congress. at the muddle
prevailing in different administra-
recruiting and "lukewarmnesss" about
the war.
The sort OF confusion now rife at
home is well understood here, be-
cause of the similar phase through
which England so recently passed.
Public anger and complaints. ''grous-
ing" as the English say, are held
to indicate a healthy state of mind
and to guarantee rapid and continu-
Gus Improvement. That was the eX-
perience here. So long as the pub
lie was satisfied and the newspapers
winning the war. When the British
nation in the spring of 1915. really
ed how badly things were going, an
explosion of public anger overthrew
the government and swept hundreds
of barnacles out of office. and the
real progress that began has since
been continued.
Actions Not Words.
IF America. after arranging to
float great credits and passing the
consumption bill. had commenced to
pay herself compliments and wait
for the Germans to appreciate her
potential power and surrender, the
situation would indeed be dark"
said Lord Beresford. But the feel
ing of disgust we can see evidenced
all over your country at incompe-
tent politicians and inadequate ma
chinery does not discourage US, as
Americans might suppose. 1t en-
courages US. We knew from our
own case that the abuses were
there, as they must be in a democ-
racy after long peace: it would
have discouraged us IL you had COW
preached content and optimism, the
Germans made long strides towards
cred them and hidden them while
you waved flags and passed reso-
ing patriotic airs. 1 knew you
would come out all right as soon
as l began to read the hard things
you started to say about yourselves
toward the beginning Of May"
Above all, England and France
are inclined to look toward Presi-
striking Change from the attitude
toward him on this side before his
war speech of April 2. The Presi-
dents insistence on conscription,
his clear and simple injunctions to
inc country as 10 ltS dOty In the
war. his refusal to let himself be
embarrassed by Socialist delegates
from America to the Stockholm
conference, are warmly praised on
all sides. 1t is perfectly safe to say
that never in American history has
a living American occupied such a
high place in British opinion as
that reached by Wilson almost in a
single bound. That this feeling is
sincere and personal and not merely
the result of relief and gratitude
that American power is at last be-
ing used to beat the Germans, is in
dicated by the fervent hopes 1 have
heard everywhere expressed, that
Wilson will violate still another
treasured American precedent, and
come himself to represent his coun-
try at the peace conference.
II there is still a doubt here as to
the ultimate defeat of Germany, it
Is based on a fear that the Germans
Will. in some manner, succeed in
hoodwinking and striking America by
some devious method; perhaps even,
in the last resort, by staging a sham
revolution and then proposing terms
that will seem fair on the surface,
but will leave the East under Ger
man control.
1 am able to state. authoritatively
details of the most recent, and the
most willy Of the constantly recurring
attempts Of German agents, acting to-