The sun., 1917-02-03
Uppermost Thought in Lon
don Is: Can America
Back Down
NATION STEELED FOR
GREAT SACRIFICES
Other Neutrals Are Expect
ed to Follow Lead of
This Country.
s,,c;a, cab,, D,,po,ch 10 Tpr sv>

Special Gable Despatch 10 THE SrN
LONDON, Feb. 2.--Wherever one went
In London to-day, whether in official cir
cles. among the American colony or in
the streets the one question was, can
America bacl, down now:''
1t is curious and significant that,
though Great Britain is confronted by
Germany's last and most desperate effort
TO starve her into submission, there ap-
pears vastly less concern about possible
starvation than about the next move of
the American Government.
In fhe present frame Of mind Great
Britain would be more than willing to
risk terrorism and starvation if as COM
pensation she could welcome the United
States as a new ally. The increasing
belief that the United States will have
to join the war against Germany and
the conviction that il she does it will
finally assure absolute victory for the
Allies explains why the possibility OF
starvation gets so little consideration
Steeled for Sacr1ncea.
,.,o.,. pr;,,;,s .o,, ,,o.,oa ,,o,,
whatever sacrifices may be necessary TO
win. She knows that these sacrifices
are ahead She knows that hundreds of
thousands of her own soldiers are going
n,on,h Nv ."e ~ - t'"
~, ,,,, ~ So o'.nst'e III 'rl''. ~
~ ~. Ne "iu',' MoiHe l'''
he n In hp
,,a E.,,,i., ne mus MANS 'i'e saL, I,ie.e
much as the assurance that victory will
be his reward He believes firmly that
if the United States enters the war vic
tory is assured beyond peradyenture.
Not that there is any notion of ac.
cepting defeat under any circumstances
Any intimation of that sort would do
inexcusable injustice to the present mind
and temper of the nation. England and
France have long since nassed the stage
where they can he scared hy fripbtf,,I-
ness b,,t never sirco tho var hogor Las
tbcre heen a da, vban tho ,,,sL NJ In .
difference about Auarica's ,,,,,uda hos
been % ,aar,v s,rinn,a fro,, ,ho pr;tisr
face as to-dav nercr n time wh.n Tho
nation so earnestly so franls,v Iopead
for tho cnmn,nionshin II, arr,s os thnir
co,,sins ,oros. .ha ,., "
+, is nc ~ to'dor tos ,,o ers. ,,,,o
Iar hn ft.ayn Il, xn.i.
selves and with ,ba u.n,,a -, -.
morn,ng ,r,i, ,,to n, n;ah, ,un -
have hear n,n,tuotad h,, d. onn.ora,' 49,,
of suocassiya oditions ~ ,ha rnn,sn,ns,.o
deyoted aIn,ost oxcIusj,,ei,. o., ,ha nanS
fro,, tho I,ni,ed Sta,as Tbat na,,.s ho :
nointed bour hv hour more and 800 %
tho nroha hijitv NJ America ontor;n. t,e
uar
/ II has constituted sort of progressive
| assault on the Englishman's traditional
shyness and reticence. He is unmasked
now. lie Is as anxious for the COM
panionShip or America in his cause as
was France for the comradeship OF Eng
land during those hours OF agon!zinR
/ suspense between Germany's opening OF
the war and Englands arraying OF the
! Union JACK alongside the trlcolor.
! Warned by this radiation OF somewhat
unwonted cheer and camaraderie Amer
leans In London are almost enthusiastic
save, or course. Tor that iugubrious sec
ton OF the american colony mat hoped
10 saii shortiy lot nome ana mas Suu
| uehiy uisco'ereu 'na' saiiii,S o' "eu'ra'
IN zone the euitorlal expressions aoou'
is likely to do are oddly repressed. Every
! line carries the indubltable realization
| that the editors are Just naturally itch
ing to turn themselves loose In bitter
contemptuous castigation of President
| Wilson, and are repressing disposition
to do actual violence. The whole tone
is one OF auerulous inquiry. We've been
telling you all along. Mr.. President Now
how do you feel about the scrape you've
got into through rejecting our advlce%
There is little apparent interest in the
neutrai o,ner .nan inc United states