Evening journal., 1918-02-26
UNDER THE CAMOUFLAGE
Intimate War Experiences and Observations of
LOWELL WELLETT
United Press Staff Correspondent
United Press Staff Correspondent

LONDON, Dec. i9-First fog Of the
season today. There have been foggy
days, but they don't call It fog here
when you can see Che light I'm your
pipe. Today they called It fog.
Called on General Maurice. lie cx-
planned some Of the difference between
offensive and defensiv warfare. In an
ticipation Of a change TO the latter on
the western front.
THE public is apt 20 believe" said
the General" when tho enemy gains a
bit Of ground that we don't give ou,
complete information. The plain fact Is
that on the defensive you usually don't
know what you've lost, II you lose
anything. When you attack you have
your cages ready and an officer to
count the prisoners as fast as they are
showed in
prisoners usually are lost from the
front lines, where attention IS pretty
we'll occupied and there Is no time for
calling tho roll 10 find out who is miss
ing. In the confusion Of lighting, too,
men become separated from their COM
panies and it usually takes some days 10
learn who IS missing and who Is dead.
The fog had not lifted when wo left
the War Oflce. In fact, Il was bit
thicker. Crossing Whitehall TO the Ad-
mlralty was something Of an adventure.
70 was like swimming under water In a
stream infested with submarines, some
going upstream and some down; most
confusing.
Commander Walcott at the Admiralty.
a keen, far-sightcd officer, foresaw for
our benent tho finish Of the German
submarine campaign. Tho commander
isn't exactly an optimlst; his analysis
OF the situation showed rather we'll
reasoned confidence. ! can't give the
date when he expects the submarine
effort 20 end-because he didn't, not
because II would be giving information
20 the enemy. But when Il does end
viii ask him II he had the right date
IN mind. Think he'll tell me because
he's always been honest about every
thing else.
Leaving the Admiralty you couldn't
see the hand at the end OF your arm.
That's the customary phrase In fog
days BY hugging picket fence most
Of the way we reached tho Foreign
Ofilce safety. All except Morris. Nor
ris is perfectly at home in fog and
he struck out into the very midst Of 70,
making a short cut across the Hores-
guards Parade.
At the Foreign Office, Roxborough.
authority on International affairs. had
progressed alphabetically through Al
bania, Budapest, Constantinople and 50
following 10 Petr6grad when Morris ar
rived He had not only got lost in the
fog, but had fallen down IN the mud Of
Horseguards Parade.
The day was not without profit
learned that a fence beats a parade
ground In a fog.
LONDON, Dec. 2O-The Mother Of
Parlisments Is a good deal Ike her chill
dren on leastwise the resemblance is
very marked in the case Of one husky
child. the Z. 5. Congress. Came 20 this
profound conclusion today after listen
ing 10 the proceedings at Westminster
for some hours. The occasion was the
Prime Minister'S appearance on the eve
OF Christmas adjournment 10 discuss the
state OF war on land and sea.
Most Of the speeches that preceded
that Of Lloyd George bore on what
members hoped he would say; most
OF those following his had to do with
First speaker was the member for
what he had said or left unsaid.
East Glamorganshire, Mr.. Edwards.
Among the things he hoped the Prime
Minister would announce was the comb
ing out Of about 10000 single men from
the coal fields for the army some hun
dreds Of thousands from munition
plants and generally ruthless re-eX-
animation OF the badges Of exemption"
Also he desired "a definite and encour-
sging statement as to that reservoir
Of $4,000 men In Ireland.
Sir J. D. Reese, whom other mem
bers are required by Parliamentary eti-
Quette, 20 address as "the Noble Lord,
the member for South Nottingham,
echoed the sentiment regarding ireland,
but put in a word for one-man busi-
ness concerns among his Nottingham
constituents. In conclusion he pro-
tested against asking for a definition OF
war aims "as deplorable and unpatri-
otic."
Soon following him, however, was
Major David Davies, with very eX-
plicit demand for such deilnition
Firstly he suggested the Premier should
fake the House into his confidence Oft
ener. "Its all very WELL he said, 20
make speeches TO the Benchers at Gray
Inn, who may be a less critical audi
ence that the members Of this House,
but / certainly think he would give
more confidence TO the country If he
came here oftener and gave us authori-
tative statements as regards the policy
OF the Government" He vigorously
criticized Balfour's speech Of the day
before, saying the Foreign ONCE failed
10 realize that the world Is now being
permea,ed by new ideas which are to-
tally at variance with some OF the pre-
historic views held in the Foreign
ONCE"
Diplomacy, he declared, is no longer
to be regarded as the special privilege
OF the Foreign Onlce. Commander
Wedgewood interpolated: