Evening star., 1918-07-10
KEEN FIGHTING man HAS
GRIEVANCE TO EXPRESS
American, Who Joined Allies Be.
fore o. s, Entered War, Wants
Citizenship Privileges Restored.
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.


CableEram to The Evening" star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1913.
LONDON, July s.-One Of the
keenest fighting men in Europe met
amid the flags in Whitehall on the
Fourth. He was a stalwart Ameri-
can officer In a British uniform and
his eyes were aglow with the spirit
Of the wonderful celebration. Incl
dentally he had q grievance to ex-
press. This is what he said:
Thrill for Americans.
isn't 1t amazing! Amy American
who could stand In this street and see
the Stars and Stripes and the union
jack floating over the houses of par
lament, the war office and half a
dozen other government buildings
without genuine thrill would have
to be fashioned out of strange ma
terial indeed. 1t was different last
year. and fittlngly SO. True. the
right side and signified her intention
of sticking there to the finish. but
she had not made good. Her allies
and the world were waiting to see IT
she could back up her words with
deeds. Then any celebration was
bound to be Of tentative nature.
This year she has more than
100000 men in the war zone. hun
dreds of thousands of tons of new
shipping are to her credit ana q
second million Of men are pouring
across the Atlantic at an astonishing
rate. The American soldiers and air
men are daily showing that they are
NJ hn i11, 1t Nd n% ot,,A
the most important OF all. for the
quality of a man can be judged by
his performance under fire. 1t Is be-
cause of these things that Britain has
thrown herself wholeheartedly into
what may be called the greatest
family reunion the world has seen.
Did President Forget Themp
ITO me. however, a minor note re-
ours with Irritating frequency. 1t Is
a note perceptible only to those who,
like myself. donned the British OF
French uniform before America came
in. 1t seems as II the President had
forgotten something. as II his mes
sage should have contained word
or two of assurance for US. For last
year we heard rumors to the effect
that all the privileges OF citizenship
would be restored to us. 1t is hardly
having come to the same conclusions
that the government did. only little
in advance. All the Americans whom
knew in the British forces have
played the game just as the American
soldiers are playing 1t now and our
country Is no less dear to us because
we elected to take hand In the big
show two or three years ago on the
side of the nations which we knew
were fighting for the very principles
for which America stands.
But as It Is now we have no status
If 1 were to resign my commission in
the British army today-if were to
be inyalided out because of i'll health
my own country nor could one be
issued to me by the British govern
ment. Every discouragement has been
placed in the way of these who de-
sired to transfer to the American
forces except in a few rather glarine
instances where influence in the
right quarter paved the way. But that
is not the burden of our complaint.
because we are content to carry on
wherever we are Of the most use.
Want Privileges Restored.
''For my own part am satisfied
that my services are Of more value
to the comon cause where / am now
than they would be in a post which
I should expect to receive in the
American Army. All I ask is that
these regulations which would bar me
from enjoying the privileges Of my
lifelong American citizenship in the
case Of my return to civil life be re-
moved"