New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-19


cans, whose progress on the battlefield
will soon be stimulating two hemi-
spheres, are already being appraised by
their French comrades and their asso-
ciates in England, where, for various
reasons, it Is obvious large sections OF
them are passing through. What VIII
the Englishmen think of them? 1t does
not require much guessing to get at
that. Already some Of the American
lads have marched through London
and have received welcome they Will
remember ali their lives.
Some of them are now mixing with
the crowds along the Strand and Fleet
Street, passing through trafalgar
Square and down Whitehall, for London
is a great war rendezvous not only OF
British soldiers, but Of Belgian, French
ard even Of Russian soldiers.
In this wartime England's capital is
more cosmopolitan than ever. Ana, llhe
the visitors, at least half OF the Bt!t-
ishers one meets in the crowds on the
sidewalks are in KHAKI or its equivalent
As the American number on the West'
ern front increases it cannot be DOUBT
ed that more and more American sol
diers will be seen in London, snatchlng
an evenings amusement, in the theatre
examining some of the historic scenes
of the capital, taking dinner at tnea
Cafe Royal or at the Corner House az
Charing Cross, or perhaps paying q
hasty visit to the leafy reaches OF the
Thames.
London henceforth is to have an
American note such as it has never
known before. What is London gong
to think Of these young Americans
How are they going TO appear IN Eng
lish eyes, compared with the lads from
Kent, from Devonshire, from the noun,
tainsides of Wales and the glens OF
the Scottish Highlands? Il would not
be human if the Londoners did not turn
an appraising eye on them. >,
Well, | know Londoners pretty We'll
having lived the last twenty-four years
among them, and ! know the things
they will say Of the Americans. In the
first place, it is necessary 10 state that
the common people Of England have a
far greater admiration for the Amerl-
cans than finds expression in the news
papers or is voiced generally by the
highbrows, and, whatever was the hesi-
tations of the politicians and authors
and other big-wigs, the steady common
sense of the rank and file Britishers
never left them in any doubt from the
start as 70 the eventual participation
of Americans in the war. They had IN
their slow, instructive way pretty
good understanding of the impulses
and capacities of the population OF the
vast Republic in the West.
Now, since the Americans have come
in they welcome them as brothers N
arms, without much efusiveness, foi
that is not in their nature, but with
whole-hearted satisfaction and SUI
preme confidence in the outcome. II
il easy to be imagined with what inter
est they will turn to sight Of the
vanguard Of this vast young army en-.
listed to save civilization. They will
look at them by the side Of Britain's
gallant sons and will have an intensive
pride in them which it is hard to con
vey to those who have never lived IN
Britain.
at the same time they will find strik-
ing differences between the American
and the British soldiers-no GifferencC
in essence, but difference in manner, in
appearance, and possibly in methods
u am speaking now of the civilian
population which though war-seared i:
not the same as the great body of fight
ing men with whom the Americans will
be aligned in the trenches.) These
people at home are used 10 soldier:
now and they will turn a keen anC
friendly eye on the new arrivals. What
will strike them mostl
Uniform Is Picturesque
The first thing will be the dress
The picturesque brimmed hat Of the
Americans approximstes to the head
gear of the Canadian and Australian
soldiers, so that that feature will not be
very strange, but what will hit tht
English at once is the smar;ness OF the
American uniform. II is cut with q
style to which the British uniform is g
stranger. The British Tommies have &
tunic which fits them comfortably but
formlessly; the Americans have an ele'
cant waisted tunic which gives them
what London will call u stylish air
There is n jaunty looseness about thi.
tunic, and this same looseaess goes
we'll with the sporting fulness of thu
American breeches. This is very diff
ferent from the straight cut garments
OF the Tommy.
The American uniform gives the mar
1.-THE and business-like air. II is also
very becoming. Then there are the LEG
coverings II the fashion one sees II
New York streets may be taken as {
rule there will be smart CATERS for mer
from the knee down 10 the boot in place
Of the puttees which Tommy winds