Omaha daily bee., 1918-10-05
American Invasion of Britain
Frank Dilnot in New York Times.

effective sense than it can ever conquer Ger
many, for while its great armies will play {
large part in the military defeat OF the enemy
its spirit and its personality have secured the
respect and admiration, and are daily gaming
more and more OF the Election of the people If
the old country. 1t is inevitable that for gener
atoms to come America will have hold on the
feelings of British men and women. outWardly
Unconditional, but of all peoples the most tena-
cious in kindly regard or active dislike.
One of the incidentals of the war is the fac,
that great masses OF American troops pass
through England or are temporarily stationed
there. Thus the towns and villages and coun-
tryside places have had two great experiences
reacting on each other the first being the in
spring and exhilaratng knowledge that Amer
lea had come into the war with its vast forces
on behalf of civilization; the second, personal
contact with the American soldiers, with all the
homely knowledge of them that is bound to
arise from a friendly curiosity. These two IN
fuenceS have had and are still having enormous
effect. The English are not demonstratlve
There is little or no ringing Of bells or waving
of flags to signal various battle successes There
has been an instructive avoidance of arrogance
or jubilation at public meetings But neverthe-
less on one occasion this year. namely on July
4, the British people let themselves go. A dis
tinguished French journalist recently arrived IN
this country, who has spent some years in Lon
the war comparable with that he witnessed in
London on that day. AT the meeting in Cen
trail Hall there were fervid scenes which deeply
impressed all foreigners who know how the
Brtishers have to be intensely stirred before
they demonstrate at all. No one could have
been in the streets or at that meeting without
realizing how the heart of Britain was moved.
| am Frenchman and was able. therefore, to
form an impartial judgment. 1t was impossible
70 fee Of DeOOe
all classes, people who as a rule cover up their
feelings. 1t was wonderful"
An English officer in France wrote to me a
month ago with great frankness: Il was lit
tie doubtful what the Americans were going to
be like. One has heard great deal about
American bluff and buster, and, to tell the truth
| was rather nervous, and wondered whether
should like them or not have now met sew
eral punches of them. Latterly three young
officers have been living with us. 1t has been
delight to meet them (of course it is the officers
| have been at close quarters with) They are
as modest as they are keen. They are fine fell
lows personally gentlemen all. We think no
end of them"
A young English gunner who has been fight
ing two years in France and Flanders wrote me
about the same time: Last week we came in
touch with some of the American boys, the first
we have seen. They are fine, outstanding lot
of chaps, and we are on chummy terms with
several of them. What we like specially is that
they have no bounce. There is ginger in them.
They are taller and thinner than our crowd;
they naturally have'a good deal to pick up, but
those have met are both quick and clever. We
like them because they are nice fellows"
London is not city which beflags itself
easily There is scant display of Union Jacks
even in wartime, and there was good deal OF
significance in the hosting of the, Stars and
Stripes over the Houses of Parliament and
other public buildings. But emphasis was given
to the display OF the American colors IN an
other direction. | learn that in the suburbs
where are the homes of the poor and the mid
ding well-to-do the Stars and Stripes are hung
out OF the windows of houses in thousands OF
cases. One letter from typical middle class
home-very English and with no American
atfiliations-gives an example: I'VE are going
to keep our old Union Jack to the end OF the
war and put it out then, but we have put up the
Stars and Stripes, one from an upstairs window,
one from a tree in the garden. Out OF the Il
houses in our road three are showing the Stars
and Stripes"
The character and behavior Of the American
troops in England is substantial factor. A
race like the English is bound to be impressed
by the fine physique and marital bearing OF the /,
snewy Americans, but more potent even than
this has been the personality OF the soiuieis
from overseas. The impression they seem to
have made is that of highly intelligent slow
speaking, quick-witted young men. Their
sobrety is commented on. They are deeply |
Interested in all they see and hear; they are
high grade in both intelligence and manners.
"Gentlemanly" is the English way of summing
them up. The hospitality with which they have
been received has taken large numbers of them
into British homes and many lasting friendships !
have been formed. Something more than
is likely to be reached in many cases.
have just heard of an American private who
has become engaged to the daughter OF an in
huential London lawyer. There must be hun
dreds of love matches in the making, for the
clear-cut American boy is just the one to appeal
to girl with touch of romance in her.
There can be no doubt that the Americans
invasion of England is approaching completion
1t will probably'be benehcent for both countries