New-York tribune., 1918-07-22

mocracys iron spokesmen.
2 a lies we rode in France through beau
AvA tiful country overrun by the Hun
when he was strafng his brutal way toward
Paris in 1914. We gathered just hazy
idea here Of what reconstruction means
and is going to mean in even its simplest
forms.
We went in long train Of gray army cars
through what once was rich vineyard
section, whore the very land seems break
ing into constant smiles Nearly four
years have passed since that horde of Huns
raced through this country, to be stopped
at the Marne. To-day it is just beginning
to struggle back to productiveness Tho
hills are just getting back the green of
new growth. Six, eight, ten years must
pass before productiveness will be what it
was before the invader came that way.
But here, in the midst of this slow build
ing back process, the true spirit of uncon-
querabie France halls from every hillside,
promising that life will come back to the
body of France because the spirit of France
can never be broken.
~ good fortune to meet is little Cana
dian lieutenant. He was on the ship that
took US to the other side, going back to re-
port for service.
This lieutenant had been home recuper-
eting. His nose had been shot away. one
eye was gone and the other was weak and
tricky from the effects of the same explo
SION
The trenches will never see this lad
AGAIN, but they'll find some duty for him.
lie was just a boy-most all of life ahead
OF hlm, and he was frightfully manned.
Nuch wounds would have taken the spirit
from nine out of ten. But, if l may quote
w III Appleton, he "was wearing his wounds
IKE roses" and laughing always No one
was reader for a frolic no one laughed
more He was such happy lad that his
torn face held nothing of the ugliness Of
ms wound Laughter won out over steel.
a GREAT deal has been said about what
L N the working people think in Britain
and France. And great deal that is said
is plain bunk.
There is Just about as solid a line-un
for the things that we in America hold 70
De the issues in this war as it would be
possible to get under present conditions.
Of course, there are in those countries. as
there are here those who don't know how
to think properly, and who thus reach false
conclusions. There are also some cranks
and some bad actors" We have them lika-
wise.
There is one point about sentiment over
there that is worth making. It Is over
whelmingly, amazingly overwhelmingly. for
the war aims of America, and much Of tho
detection that over here Is analyzed as on-
position to the war is nothing of the kind,
Dut IS purely matter of opposition To
what these people believe are the nolicies
OF their own governments
lhere are number of absolutely sim
cere people who have the idea that lurking
somewhere back of their own governments
there are imperialist aims, and thew ara
dead set against any imperialst proposi-
tlons getting a foothold in the outcome Of
this war
believe they are terribly mistaken. But
live here and they live there. That's
what they say also. But these people are
oeing convinced as time passes and the
feeling of dstrust grows less. Perbans II
hao It's greatest blow the other day when
Aloyd George clearly and unequivocally de-
clared the Wilson declaration of Julv 4
expressive of Britain's own purposes.