Evening journal., 1918-07-22
BY ED. l.. KEEN
United Press STAFF Correspondent.


Copyright, 1918, by The United Press,
LONDON, July 22.-You will find my
text in the gospel OF war according tC
Lloyd George, il7th speech, iith para
graph, sth sentence:
"Hammer-blOws crack and crumble
poor material; hammer-blOws harden
and consolidate good metal"
Epigrams are often mileading. Meta
phors, even when coined by British
statesmen, do not always stand close
analysis. But the prime minister OF
England never uttered a truer, nor an
apter. phrase.
Lloyd George Is somewhat OF a con-
nOisseur In hammer work. Not only
has he done a. good deal OF Il himself
In the course OF his turbulent career,
but he frequently has played the less
agreeable role Of anvil. His experience
OF the subject runs all the way from
the tackhammer blows OF Ramsey
Macdonald and Philip Snowden to the
triphammer blows OF LudendOrff and
Hindenburg. So, any observation he
may make as TO the effects OF ham
mering when applied to certain kinds
Of material, is worthy OF thoughtful
consideration.
Heavy blows have been borne by the
Allies in this fourth year OF the war I;
the collapse Of Russia; the driving back
OF the Italian army 10 the Venetian
plains; the loss Of the initiative on the
western front. Cumulative in their ef-
feet, these blows might well have
cracked and crumbled bassr material.
But what has been the result?
From the Russian debacle grew the
supreme war council. Out OF the Ital-
ian reverse came a very practical ap-
plication Of the principle OF co-dr-
dinated effort so aptly illustrated in
the recent Austrian defeat. From be-
meath Ludendorffs gigantic hammer
blow OF March q emerged Foch. gen
eralissimol And amid the din OF sue
ceeding blows was heard the voice OF
Of Pershing, speaking by order OF
President WilsOn-"America will be
proud to take part in the greatest bat
tie OF history. All we have is yours.
Dispose Of us as you wish"
Interpreting the Lloydgeorgian meta
phor I'm its wider sense-he was re-
ferring especially TO the British ma
tlon-the hammerings Of i9i7-is have
assuredly hardened and consolidated
the Entente. As the armies Of the
West have been welded and annealed
under the terrific pounding Of a nu-
merically superior enemy, so has the
popular Will O-v let tory become
strengthened and tOughened.
Prussian Psychology Shocked.
Admittedly designed to enforce a de-
cisiOn before the weight Of Americas
military power could be applied effect
lively, the German super-Offensive into
which were poured the hordes OF
troops released by the Brest-Litoysk
treaty, produced an effect little expect
ed by It's managers. Prussian psychOl-
ogy takes small account Of the quail
ity Of self-sacrlflce. Doubtless Pots
dam was as much surprised at the
alacrity and cheerfulness with which |
Sir Douglas Haig acceded TO the ar
rangement whereby he and his armies
were made subordinate to the COM
mand Of a French general, as ii was
at Americas renunciation of national
pride in splitting up her forces and al
lowing them TO be brigaded with the
French and British armies-where they /
might do the most good.
This 6ction Of President Wilson's
gave the Knockout blow to such I'm
gering popular sentiment in Great
Britain against the generalissimo idea
IS had not yet been thoroughly ham
nered out by the Germans themselves.
The British people as a whole have
shown their confidence in the policy
)f unified inter-Allied command, so
,trenuously fought for by Lloyd George
n the face OF persistent opposition on
he part Of certain military men who
to have the support OF GER
ain amateur strateglsts OF the press.
rhe commonsense-ness OF this policy
appealed TO the popular mind, and the
lire necessities Of the situation, cou-
lied with Americas splendid demon
itration OF approval clinched the mat
er.
There is one marked difference be
ween the kind of hammering TO which
Iohn Bull recently has been subjected
n the field and that which he habit
tally permits at home. The latter is
Whenever there is
;inn Feln affair, a Robertson affair,
Maurice afrain or any other affair,