The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-08-02
Year Of Ruthlessness Passed. England Not Knee
|HOOT AT
GERMAN
CLAIMS
BY Kenneth w. Payne

LONDON. England. Aug. 2. =
Britain crushed to her knees,
broken In spirit and starving!
That was the German govern
ment's picture to the German peo-
pie ON Feb. / when unlimited de-
struction by U-boats was decided
upon-that was the condition their
enemy was to be reduced to in
three months by the U-boats.
Six months OF the U-boat saw
egery have now passed. Yester-
day was the half year anniversary
Of supreme ruthlessness. In twice
the time they originally allowed
themselves, how near have the
Germans come to accomplishing
their threat?
'sWhy, I'd hardly think
England was fighting a war,
much less that she was black
aded!"
This was the exclamation of a
noted Australian professor who
has Just succeeded in reaching
England after three years expert
ence OF war conditions In Ger
many.
His establishment is typical Of
that of most travellers when they
voice their first impression Of
England today. Outside the Brit
fish isles there seems to be consid-
erable misconception of what living
conditions really are like behind
the barred zone." One party Of
Americans with whom I have Just
talked actually came over sup
piled with compressed food tab
lets! They were amazed to find
restaurant life flourishing as gaily
as II 1t we're peace time.
Six months of unbridled
U-bOat baYbarity have not
brought the Germans q sim
gle pace nearer victory over
Britain. They have brought
neither misery nor depression
to the English people.
Food prices are very high. But
in some cases, actually not so high
as they were before the U-boat
warfare began. People with very
small incomes complain bitterly
about the food cost. But the high
prices do not indicate food short
age so much as unsatisfactory dis
tribution. Sugar is scarce. The
best hotels are as niggardly with
tiny Jumps of 1t as IL they were
Jumps of radium.
All over London posters
are stuck up reading EAT
LESS BREAD" There are
supposed to be three words
ON the poster which IL an ad-
monition, but the first two
are 80 run together as to de-
scribe perfectly the article Of
baked goods now served in
homes and restaurants.
And there the visible effect
Of six months of undersea
ruthlessness ends.
But the Germans are boasting
of the overpowering dread their
U-boats are bringing to England.
They tell of the breaking morale
Of the British people, the fear and
depression and gloom which they
say the menace of the U-boats Is
spreading thruout the populace.
Hyde Park on Saturdays and
Sundays is damned with care-free
+ throngs. Tea tables on the lawn
/ are at a premium. A band is play
ing. Tommies and their sweet
hearts are laying about on the
grass, watching war plane buzz
xing In practice overhead. The
lakes are black with boating par
ties. And nobody is talking OF
worrying about the war!
The whole stretch of the
Thames. for many miles above
London, is alive with holiday
makers every weekend. The
banks are busting with saunter-
ers. The river itself is crowded
with motorboats and canoes.
- The suburban stations are bust
ling with family parties every
Saturday and Sunday, bound for
the country with lunch baskets
and fishing tackle. 1t is a stirring
contrast to see these CHEEKY parties
mingle on the station platform
with crowds of burdened men in
khaki bound out to the front.
The work OF war goes GRIM
~ on, but pleasure as usual"
seems to be England's motto
III so far as pleasure-seeling
doesn't interfere with her
war work.
The U-boat campaign seems 70
have been tonic for England
People seem to feel, well, II
THAT'S the worst the Huns can
do, we've got EN-" Britain, after
SIX months OF ULboat warfare
knows the war will last another
year, but knows also the Germans
have played their last card and II
isn't trump.