El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-06-19
War Changes
st. James To
Drea1yPLace
For the American
Officers Hides F amous
Horses Tail.

London, Eng. June 1S.-Upon moth
ing has the war made so visible an
impression as upon turf 7 mean not
The Turf but turf And turf be-
ing very largely a sacred thing in
England. some idea Of the magnitude
and seriousness Of the struggle Is
thus 20 be gathered.
Meanwhile the face OF the country
is being transformed and what was
once green England is now brown
England. Meadows have become
fields; lawns have become plots; parks
and commons have become allOtmeuts.
Who still doubts that a European
conflict is raging has only 10 look AT
that tract OF kensiugton Gardens
south Of the palace which. once a
grassy sward Gear TO children and
nursemaids, IS now the scene Of in
tense horticultural activity-under the
very eyes Of William I'LL. who fthe
gift OF the kaiser) surveys the Curl
Gus metam0rphosis from his pedestal
beneath the palace wall To my mind
the transformation Of that lawn is
not less striking a sign Of war than
the ruins Of the bombed house. Al
Iotments in kensiugtou Gardenst
Much as one may regret this disap-
pearauce OF grass, the greatest per-
sonal loss, speaking as an observer OF
London which the war has inflicted,
is horses tail
The charger, bestriddeu by the same
king William Ill Din bronze. in the
middle Of St James's Square. once
gave the world assurance Of that no.
bic tail, but owing % the eXigences
of war gives IL no longer, for the
statute has been surrounded by tenn
porary buildings and IS now invisi-
bic Not ordinary buildings. but the
e. boat HrH
been constructed sometimes around
trees, so that the branches sprout
from the roofs
Here. shortly. are American officers
TO have a club, and therefore one must
not complain But the loss is severe.
For never was such a tail II sprang
voluptuously and flowed away due
south Ike a triumphant pennon. the
glory Of St James's Square. You saw
the steed, royal rider, and the superb
appendage. in profile, all the way be-
fore you as you walked from the Hay
market wesrWards- But the landmark
is gone; ne see 70 no more
On looking into history ] find that
this magnificent tail-the creation OF
the sculptor Bacou-has eraced the
square for ITO years. 7 find also that
there was once water ia the middle
or the square. with pleasure boats w
on IL and that IL was into this lake
LldL LAe ElEQQn rioters in 1850 rluuE
the key Of Newgate prison. A CEN
fury earlier the square was a dueIing
ground, while as recently as 1913 a
held Up Sir Francis Hol-
1urne and his sisters In their coach
as they passed through on their way
from the opera, and pressing his pistol
70 Miss Holourne's breast, demanded
her purse.
I find also that in St Jamess SQUARE
many illustri0us men have dwelt, one
house tNo- 10) having i'm IT'S day shell
tered three prime ministers-Pitt
Derby and Gladstone; out not all al
once But what are three prime min
.sters In one house compared with
the tail OF the horse OF William IIL2
Why should we not elevate it 70 a
symbol Of peace? AS the French used
10 say OF the figure on the spire OF
me church az Albert. that when that
fell the war would be over. why
should NOT we say OF the tail OF the
-orse in ST. James's Square. thar al
though not I'll peace comes viii il be
seen again, then viii 10 flourish with
more than all its ancient lavish splen-
ior2