Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-23
(By G. G. Lyon.)

Somewhere in France March "a
4 America and Great Britain. r going
to- he the best OF friends after the war.
1t, has taken this struggle to-, make
both nations realize how silly and use
4 less have been the jealousies and ami
mosities of the past. a
American school histories have al
ways added fuel to past ill-feelings
against the British; and in very recent
years there is little doubt that Ger
man propaganda has helped it along
The new feeling Of real friendship
is to be primarily the outgrowth of the
mingling Of American and British SOL
diers on the western battlefield.
Americas fighters are finding their
British comrades in arms bully good
follows. And likewise. the British
Tommy has discovered that every
American isn't a rich braggart, for
ever making odious comparisons he
tween what he finds on this side of
the Atlantic with what he has al
home. atrmi
We've both been rather unfortu-
nate in the past in the types that have
visited the others country" said q
fine, two-fisted British soldier, who is
an instructor in one of the training
schools for American: officers in
France.
Before the war a lot of snobbish,
bankrupt E~nglishmen would so over
to America looking for rich wives.
recommend them except, perhaps. an
illustrious great-grandfather, long
dead. and a badly damaged social po-
sition.
Naturally, this type of fellows wa
fruit as you say. for your %caricatur-
lists n humorists and you Americans
got the idea that every Britisher was
a chinless fop. with just enough
physical strength to lift a cup of tea
at an afternoon party. =
On the other hand, a lot OF. Amer
leans would come to u country and
! give is a wrong impression OF your
citizenship. For the most part they
were new-rich. whose idea of Great
ing an impression abroad was to make
a vulgar display of their wealth and
criticize everything we had on this
side.
Now the REAL Britisher and the
REAL American were too busy with
the serious duties Of life at home to
go .joy-riding about the globe. 1t is
only since America sent troops to
France that I personally have had a
! chance to find out what a fine,N clean,
likeable fellow the average American
is."
The real Britisher that one meets in
the war zone. whether he be a high
officer or a private. is a modest, un-
assuming man, always courteous, but
game to the core and absolutely fear
less in battle. He goes on the theory
that tomorrow will probably be his
last day, so today, when he is at grips
with the Hun, he will give him every
thing he's got. -,
If there's any one thing that handi-
caps him it is too much modesty.. Re-
serve. it is often called. He's not a
"slad-hand" artist like most Ameri-
cans. A social system at home. hun
dreds of years old. amounts almost to
a caste system. and he is always watt
ing for the other fellow to make the
first move, lest he joe considered "for-
But ono the ice is broken. he is a
delightful companion. In the var zone
one very often ices groups of Ameri-
cans and Britisher. f~raternizing,
smoking their pipes, and having jolly
good times. And what do you suppose
they talk ab~out.nrost? So.
Their common language!
Most American slang is Greek to the.