Evening star., 1918-03-29
British Stressed
by Weeks Clash in
Test of Her Arms

| By the Associated Press.
| LONDON, Thursday. March 2S.-The
battle for which no one attempts to
give a name because it is on a scale
too great for any geographical desig-
nation began one week ago this morn
ing. To say that it has been week
OF the greatest strain and stress that
the British people has ever known
| would be to make q futile understate-
ment.
! The fate OF England, indeed. Of the
| whole British empire, has been COM
| mitted to tho test Of one clash OF
arms. Every ono has realized this to
| the depth of his mind. The anxiety in
the rural districts has been even
| keener than in the cities, where the
freouent newspaper bulletins have fur
| nished the public with food for discus
sion and speculation.
The most impressive effect of the cri-
| sis has been the sweeping aside OF all
political factiona1 disputes. Today
there is only the united nation. whose
hearts are with the soldiers in France.
Before. the progress of the war had
come to the level where discussion of
policies and personality were consum-
| ing considerable part of the peoples
attention. and particularly the atten-
tion Of politicians. Today the pacifist
| journals have fallen into line with the
others. They have dropped their criti-
cisms of the management of the war
| and ceased to talk of peace by hegotia-
tion.
Wants Robertson at Helm.
There are a few suggestions that the
sions of military strength to distant
fields like Mesopotamia and Saloniki-
have proven mistakes: regrets are ex-
pressed that those forces are not in
France.
There are feelings in some quarters
that Sir Gen. William r. Robertson.
chief Of the eastern command. whom
! many believe Is the country's ablest
organizing general. ought rather to be
at the helm. There are reminders also
that Redmond and Dillon might have
brought all the manhood Of Ireland
into the fighting ranks had they been
listened to. But the general feeling
is that the errors Of the past should
all should be put to this days work
in so far as it can be done.
Some criticism that the British Of
fetal reports are lacking in details
given that Field Marshal Haig has
problems to deal with which are far
more important than writing reports.
and that even the preparation of mes
SARSS o. ChCcT anu
would be an unnecessary intrusion
upon his time.
People Are Patient.
The British people are patient They
are willing to wait Tor the news. They
know that their casualties must be ap-
palling as compared to all previous
wars, but they willingly consent to
delay in the receipt of these lists.
One historical event which would be
Of absorbing public interest in other
circumstances has been the publication
Of the revelations of Prince Lichnow-
sky, German ambassador at London at
the outbreak of the war. These are
accepted here as fixing beyond dispute
responsibility for the war He gives
minute details regarding Anglo-Ger-
| man relations during his two years of
tenure in once before the war and
| confirms in almost every particular the
British version Of events.
1--WE deliberately destroyed the pos
sibility Of a peaceful settlement" he
says we pressed for war" I'VE in
sisted upon war;" and some OF his
statements are narrating Sir Edward
Grey's efforts to maintain peace and to
find livable basis for getting along
with Germany. He exclaims, This is
| the man who is called Tho liar Grey
| and Originator of the World War"
Lichnowsky confirms belief that the
Austrians felt relieved over the death
| Of Archduke Ferdinand and that the
| omperor's yachting trip to Norway was
| part Of the scheme.