The Washington herald., 1918-02-24
By JOHN LLOYD BALpERsToN.


! Copyright 1913. By the Wheeler syndicste. lne)
London, January 24.-(By maiD.
During the course of extensive
and Scotland have been able to
form certain general impressions
concerning the moral fiber and de-
! termination of the people Of Great
Britain during this crisis of the
war. The heart of England is
sound. German and "defeatist"
/ propaganda has never been So ac-
tive; labor agitators and pacifists
| are spreading Bolshevih ideas
among the laboring classes, espe-
cially in the great industrial CEN
/ ters of the Midlands and among the
scores OF thousands of shipmakers
and munition workers on the Clyde
and the Tyne. but they have not
succeeded in altering the determi-
; nation of nine Britons out of ten
to go on until Germany IL beaten.
But 1t is well think that Amer
loans, themselves in the first flush
of war enthusiasm and unaffected
1 by the weariness and privations
that must weigh upon Europeans
in the fourth year. should under
| stand the serious character of this
attempt by the enemy to undermine
| by trickery the strength of the
coalition he is unable to defeat in
the field. The germ of disease is
/ easily thrown or by a healthy or
ganism. but II is when the consti-
tuition has been sapped by long ILL
ness. when the patient Is dragged
down and weak, that the germ
which Is harmless when he is well
and strong fastens upon him and
spreads through his system. So il
is that the germ OF Boche propa-
ganda in these days is a real danger
for our allies.
The Proper Antidote.
The best antidote to this germ Is a
dose of America That / have found
is true here as in France. When
people are discouraged. when they
look ahead and see nothing but Ger
man offensives and semistarvation be-
fore them, their thoughts turn TO the
republic OF the West for comfort
How many American troops are
now in Europe? When will Pershing
take over q sector and relieve Haig
and Petain of some OF their stupen-
dous burden? How much tonnage can
America turn out this year? How
much food can Hoover send the al
lies in 1918? Is American opinion
staunch for the war, determined to
see 1t through. unresponsiye to enemy
intrigues?'
These and scores OF such questions
are hurled at every American in Eng
land by nearly every one he meets.
Upon the answers given depends the
| NFEa 30 ha
preme issue OF going through to vic
tory to trying to negotiate with an
unbeaten autocracy. We who are
here guess at the answers and our
replies verge on the ultra-optimistic.
The real answers will be furnished
by the American people. and upon
them depends not only the material
issues at stake. vast as these are, but
also the equally important factor for
success, the maintenance Of the will
TO victory among the sorely tried
peoples OF our allies.
This story deals with my personal
impressions Just CLEANED throughout
the United Kingdom. but what is said
about Britain applies with greater
force to France and Italy. In France
the enemy has organized. with elab-
crate care and skill, an ant-American
campaign. Surreptiuousiy printed
sheets are distributed, extremists are
encouraged to whisper among the
discontented. The main theme of
the argument Is always the same.
These Americans have come to our
country and are prolonging the war.
But for them. We should have peace
tomorrow. II We could get rid OF
them, the Germans would go home. I"
In Italy. where there are no Amer
leans. the intrigues OF the Germans
take a different form. I'VE have been
beaten" the "defeatists" argue. I'VE
cannot hope to drive the Tedesci back
through the Alps and across the Isop-
20; this would take years: even n
we succeeded the Venetian plain
would be ravaged. The Germans
and Austrians are willing to evac-
uate without fighting and restore
US our pre-war frontiers. perhaps
even give up the Trentino; why.
then, should be go on?" There is