The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-09-17
THE AMERICANS AT WAR.
BY LORD NORTHCLIFFE.

Copyright. 1917. Public Ledger Company.
This September, 1917. sees the begin
ming OF the growth Of a war machine
machine Is being built in the American
way. As I watch the procass I am re-
minded continually OF the method by
which Americans build their skyscrapers.
whose roots are deep down in the rock
that forms the island on which New
York stands.
In watching the building OF sky
scraper the uninformed observer feels
that the thing will never begin. For
some time there Is blasting Of rock.
crowds of men appear with strange ma
chimes and nothing much seems to hap
pen. Then gradually but surely great
steel skeleton arises. The progress does
not seem to be as rapid rs 1t might be.
until suddenly the passerby finds to his
astonishment that the exterior walls Of
the seventeenth or thirtieth story are
finished. the lower stories being yet in
skeleton form. There is another delay,
and 10 the skyscraper suddenly finished
and housing ten or fifteen thousand busy
workers. The American war machine Is
being built in the same way
From the staid British point OF view
the process is sometimes bewilderinR
There are delays. tolerances, repetitlons
of European war blunders, criticisms.
arguments, extravagant optimism and
grave underestimations. Sometimes at
the end Of a long day one looks back on
the morning and can see no progress.
But at the conclusion Of every six days
there is not only an advance but some
times leap. The great giant of the
West slumbered more or less uneasily
for the first two and a half years Of the
war. He eventually woke with some un-
willingness. To-day he Is up and about
and doing He is girding on his armor
and fashioning the club that should end
the rule Of despotism in Europe.
War More Visible.
Lockers on and critics here in the
United States were astonished to find
that almost without public notice con-
scription came into being. Having ar
rived, it works as smoothly as though it
had been In use since the Declaration Of
Independence. Again the giant pauses
while and people begin to wonder what
he Is doing. but meanwhile the streets
become filled with khaki. The stern
looking business men and professional
beauties OF photographers shops are re-
placed by clean visaged officers and
nurses. The parks are busy from dawn
to dark with men in shirt sleeves at
drill, Those trying to make business
appointments by telephone find that So
and-So has gone to France or to the
officers training camp at Plattsburg or
elsewhere. The war hourly becomes
more and more a part Of the visible
public life.
My American home Is some miles out
OF New York city. When I took up my
residence there in June last there were
no signs Of war about me. I went to
Washington and returned after the spa ce
Of a few days. vast camp, as big as
ours at Whitley in Surrey. appeared at
my doors as though II had grown by
magic. This camp Is not on the man,
SO to speak; II is not one Of the great
cantonments that are being built with
lightning speed.
or these soldier cities there are now
sixteen finished. or nearly so. They are
no mere camps. There is a permancnce
about them which makes IT difficult to
realize that they are built in two score
Of days. A number of them are being
erected wisely In the sunny and COM
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