The Washington herald., 1917-01-21
By JOHN L. BALDERsroN.
lCopyrzht, 1911, b. the Mcclure Nswspapsr

tcopyrzht, 1911, by the Mcclure Nswspapsr
a---- SyndiczteD- .-a-----.s -.-a----
London, Dec. I2-This Is the winter OF
England's discomfort
For the first time since the war began
serious-minded people are expressing
doubts as to the result. The wave OF
depression has swept over the whole
nation. and the present feeling here has
been compared by historical students tc
the pessimism which spread over the
North in the black winter of 1854 at a
time when discerning observers could
plainly see the approaching end Of the
Confederacy. -
In attempting to outline the gloomy
views taken of the military, naval and
political situation confronting the country
and the entente allies, do not desire to
convey the impression that these views
are correct Discerning minds In Ger
many probably know well enough that I,
Is when England Is cast down In the
depths of despair that England Is most
dangerous. II seems to me. after observ-
Ing conditions here for nearly two years,
that the country is going through the
throes Of a spiritual rebirth. and that
the British PEOPLE, within the next year.
will find themselves capable at last OF
climbing to the heights of sacrifice and
devotion reached by their principal
But a period of national humiliation
and self-abasement must come first, as
a penance for opportunities muddled or
refused and the thousand mistakes of
commission or omission which have
brought Germany successfully through
three summer and autumn campaigns.
1t Is that period through which the
empire is now passing.
Two Examples show Mood.
Two examples will show England s
mood today. At a dinner Of the British
Empire Union last week, function by
no means private, one OF the speakers,
a man Of position. declared, Whether
We can pass through the next few months
in this country without a revolution Is
extremely doubtful, so bitter has public
feeling become against the government
You now talk about the price OF food,
the price OF food that will worry you.
but whether you will be able to get food
at any price. The other night four men,
Of whom / was one, discussed the pres
ent crisis at club. Two Of these men
bear names which are household words
throughout the country. and one OF them
said at the end of our talk, If we four
meet again in this club a year from to-
night, 1 am afraid il will be to discuss
lne DOWNFALL OF the British empire. -
These remarks seemed to me nonsense
but they were listened to by several hun
dred diners with no sign of dissent. al
though they were condemned by many
persons in conversation after the din
Her. But that they could have been
made at all before gathering of rep
resentative Englishmen and women with
out the speaker being howIed down is
extremely significant of the-~feeling at
present 1 do not think the speaker be-
heved what he said. or that anyone pres
ent believe II. but he and they thought
1t would do them good to pretend to
swallow 1t.
Lord Northcliffe, at a private dinner
some week, ago. gave what he called
an ''uncensCred'' talk about the war, in
which he divulged on what he said was
official authority the exact number OF
British troops in France. and much other
information which as II was given in con-
hdence cannot be repeated. But his state
ment that the effective strength of the
Russian army Is now almost exactly
half that of the British ran like Wild
IRE through London, and was the sub