The Washington times., 1922-05-14
"AFTER THE WAR"
is GOSSIpY BOOK
Repington Writes of
Men and Events I'm
Many Lands.
By AMEs KENDRICK.

full Of the many arguments
- for and against the merits
Of Colonel Repington's new book.
After the War" Houghton-Mif.
flin). in contrast to his previous
best seller. we are convinced that
in one respect, at least. the
chatty colonel is of the elect.
We have grave doubts that he
will be known to posterity as
are Pepys or Evelyn. but he Is
certainly a good newspaperman.
1t would appear from his
pages that he talked with every
one in Europe above the rank Of
bootblack, and that he set down
for later reference their conversa.
lions. Then, when he decided to
embody his material in book form,
he picked out only the most
interesting parts, to which he has
added his own observations and
judgments. mainly to the better
ment of the work.
After the War" is the day
by-day narrative of the colonel.
consisting Of his observations of,
and deductions from. the condi.
ton Of contemporary Europe. He
covers the period extending from
January. 1921. down to the con-
ference at Washington. part of
which Is included. During this
period Repington visited France,
Italy, Greece. Czecho-Slovakia,
Austria, Hungary. Rumania. Ger
many. Serbia. the occupied ter
ritory on the Rhine, and the
United States.
In each Of these places he adds
to current history. for the
colonel apparently saw and heard
everything Of moment in his
journeyinss. The resulting data
should be Of utmost usefulness
to those attempting to bring or.
der out Of tho after-the-war
chaos. as well as providing q
fund Of information to those who
are eager to keep In touch with
tho rapidly changing tide Of
events.
Americans will be most in
terested in what he has to say of
the disarmament conference. but
here he rather gives the impress
sion Of knowing FAR more than
he cares to reveal.
Like most Englishmen at wash
ington. the colonel took serious
exception to the methods Of the
French. wish that I could jot
down." he says. ''the abominable
mischief that has been practiced
against US here on two occasions
this year and once quite re-
Gently by a supposed ally. II
would make England red-hot with
anger. But this conference is too
beneficent an undertaking to per-
NIT one to create trouble, even
when the most perfidious treach-
cry Is practiced against US. Our
false friend will find things have
to be paid for. That In all
shall say about It."
Again he says, IT don't think
that the French are very happy.
They have not got on much
One Of the sharpest Of the
Frenchmen here tells mo that all
Brands information was at fault
and that he expected to find
England and tho United States
at loggerheads. when he could
play Bismarck's old part Of
honest broker. He finds US
cordially in unison and 10 non
plussed. I do not think that he
wants Frances fleet reduced,
and as there Is no sign that
Hughes will suggest any plan Of
land armament limitation, BRAND
wishes to bring out Frances posi-.
ton clearly, when he should
make a great speech and evoke
much sympathy. But tho time
has passed for an Anglo-Auieri-
can guarantee or for passing =
sponge over French debts to the
United States"
Colonel Repington seems to have
been greatly impressed with secre-
tary Hughes opening speech to
the conference. Hero is the entry
he made in his diary:
"Mr. Secretary Hughes sunk In
IS minutes more ships than all the
admirais of the world have de-
stroyed In a cycle Of centuries.
More. he appeared to me to con-
denim by anticipation all tho arma-
ments of the globe. The armies Of
the world seem to me beckoned to-
wards the cell OF the condemned.
Teaching by example. America
makes q great renunciation and
the most magnificent political ges-