The Washington herald., 1917-03-21
CUT OFF FROM HOME,
LONDON YANKEESFR FRET

Bitter at Administration for Not Fight
ing Germany at Once.
BY JOHN L. BALDERsToN.
tcODyrshs' i'rT s,tIs, sy the Mocsur. Ns~'apsr
London. February 24.-February has
been nerye-racking month for Ameri-
cans in London, cut of for weeks from
letters and newspapers from home, de-
pendent for news upon fragmentary and
often stupid and obviously incorrect ca
bles from British correspondents in
washington. and consequently a prey to
doubts and fears and hopes and unusu-
ally sensitive to the varying moods of
the population around them. The last
American letter or newspaper to reach
London was dated four weeks ago today,
several weeks before the new German
sea frtghtfulness was announced
Those Americans permanently resident
here belong, for the most part. to the
Roosevelt Perkins Lodge school Of
thought. They have clamored for action
against Germany almost from the begin
ming Of the war, have throughout been
intensely bitter against the administra-
tion for not joining the allies, and have
In the past done a great deal of harm
by persistently misrepresenting to Eng
lish people the state of public opinion in
America. A similar group Of Americans
has been active in Paris. And both in
London and Paris they have busted them
selves In relief work of all kinds, have
given most generously of their money
and time and sent their sons in many
instances into the French and British
armies.
Americans Made Jubilant.
A great sigh of relief went I'm from
these Americans when the flash came
over the cables three weeks ago tonight
that Bernstorfr had been dismissed. Most
of them thought 1t meant immediate war,
and in London that night a procession
was organized that marched down the
Strand, Whitehall and Victoria streets to
cheer In front OF the American Embassy
In Grosvenor Gardens. The embassy re-
mained discreetly dark and silent.
Among the crowd was more than a
sprinkling of khaki. each uniform bearing
the Canadian maple leaf, but the wearers
explained to their neighbors that they
hailed from Detroit or Pittsburgh or
Seattle and were Britishers only for the
duration Of the war"
Among the resident Americans 1t was
natural that decided and violent reac-
tion should set In when the President
seemed to adopt a drifting policy. The
determined opponents OF Wilson are be-
coming more and more angry as time
goes on and the cables show that Ameri-
can ships are remaining for the most
part tied up in harbor afraid to venture
to sea in defiance Of the German block
ade."
English Find Excuses,
And 1t is a curious phenomenon that
thoughtful Englishmen are showing
much more restraint and comprehension
or the difficulties besetting WASHINGTON
than are Americans themselves | have
several times heard Englishmen trying
to sooth indignant Americans by explain-
ing to them how necessary 1t is that
popular opinion at home should be unani-
nous and that certain necessary precau-
tions should be- taken before the Presi-
dent takes an irrevocable step.
Since our break with the Kaiser there
have been three stages of opinion about
America among Englishmen, broadly
speaking. And these varying views have
not received adequate treatment in the
newspapers, because the British press
schooled in how to deal with vacillating
neutrals by the long hesitation Of Italy,
has been most careful not to say things
calculated to irritate or offend Americans
who regard the dispute between America
and Germany, as most Americans at
quarrel between Washington and Berlin.
When the break in relations came the
dominant feeling was a very real iov
that the United States had at last recog-
nized the moral difference between Ger
many and her enemies. had by her action
indorsed the condemnation of the whole
world for German methods of warfare
The Presidents phrases In his peace note
and speech to the Senate about objects
81 O - h. h.
peace without victory" had ranked here
more than was shown. By breaking with
Germany. 1t was felt that Wilson had in
enect at least withdrawn his statements;
that he could no longer pretend to be
strictly impartial between the entente
and its enemies.
Hope for Great Aid.
This feeling persisted and still persists
but within week It was superseded by
the hope that America could and would
render great material help in winning
the war. This hope, stronger with the
man in the street than in informed
quarters, was famed by newspaper ar
dcles, exploiting Americas wealth and
industrial resources. her vast reservoirs
Of man power. her enormous naval pro-
gram.
1t was probably unfortunate that so
much was made out Of this phase of
the situation by men who forgot the
time element, which makes 1t impossible
II the war is to end by next winter that
the United States can take a prominent
part in the fighting even II willing. Be-
cause the hesitation at Washington, the
evident desire to restrict operations IL
possible to protecting American shipping
at sea, or at most neutral shipping, has
caused widespread feeling Of disap-
pointment The moral effect of Wash
ington's reputation of German desire
to dictate to neutrals remains, and could
only be destroyed If no measures were
taken to make 1t possible for American,
ships to put to sea. But If the United
States does not throw herself headlong
into war the people who have been cal
culating man power and financial sta
tistics will be grievously disappointed.
To sum up, the resident Americans at
present are for the most part angry and