THE WAR AND THE THREE AMERICAS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15171, 8 January 1915, Page 4

THE WAR AND THE THREE AMERICAS.

J5031E IMPBESSIONS BX

JEROME K. 3ERO3IE.

v Mt J. K. .Icrcme, who has ,t*£= sacking 8. coraprebeimvc tour of th« Usiicd States, •where he hes b»<3 esoeptionai oppo:tutj-.t:ea of obtainicß authorititiv icJo_rm«.tion from prominon; Americun official? —iroai ttte I resident downwards—ar.d business men* as to tbo altitude c; tho American nation toxartis th* war, tcr.d* the iol'.ow'ir.s art id* irava Cliic»zo.>

American opinion—l speak only of tho opinion that counts— may be elass:fiod undor three headings: \\hac Young America thinks; what Business America thinks; what Official America thinks. Within those three divisions 3 include tho Tress. At first. Hearst's newspaper*, controlled by almost personal animojity agaiuit England, were inclined to be pra-German. But a good newspaper man—l quote the words of an experienced journalist with whom I was talking the other day off Broadway—thinks what his readers think: a*nd to-day tho ''New York American," together with its numerous offspring, announces Russian, French, and .EnglUh. successes in jubilant type. 'Of the other newspapers tho vast- majority, from "Now York to San Francisco, from Daluth to Now Orlcaivs, lire enthusiastic for the Allies, Toifing. as they do, tho opinion of tho man in tho street (they call him the man in the. car over bore: your American i.s not fond of of social, artistic, and professional America. I rank them under the banner of the Young Americans. For your "Young" American's hair may bo grey, and is of ton , white; while his waist-lino, maybo, no longer conforms to the most approved standards: but his enthusiasms, his ideals aro etill with him.

"So, sir," said quite an old American boy to mc; we were talking on tho train. "America could not tend an army to help you, not in time to Lβ or any use. liy the tinio we'd discussed it, and oted for it. and sot to vrork, ftnd built it—well. Clod grant tho war i.sn't going to last as ■ long as that-! And chips'. Well, those you hardly want, and they don't spring out of tho sea. But, I'll tell you, sir, what would happen, if our Government toro up its neutrality proclamation, and every American citizen tras free to act for himself. Great Britain could open its recruiting offices in every city in tho States, and get , as many million men a& it. wanted." "You-think your young men would come in?" I asked. "You'd hare to fix a hard-and-fast age limit," ho answered, "if you wanted to keep out tho old ones." "We're had our differences with the Old Country, and shall again over twocent propositions .that don't realiy matter," h© continued. "But this & a bi<»'thing- There's something in our blood that answers to it. Until this thing began, we didn't- quite know what ivo did think. Now we do."

"And your eighteen million citizens of German descent," I put to him, "mightn't they start enlisting for Germany I , " ■ "The Germans over here!' , ho retorted. "What do you think they came hero for? To bring Germany after them! No. eir; to get> away from it, a few of their fathers, perhaps , . Their sons, boru here, are Americans, and glad of jt. They've no use- for Prussian Government^.'" A DKISAD OF GERMANY TRIUM- . PHANT. ' : " A precisely similar view was expressed to mc by a New York banker. "I have many Germans among our customers," ho told mc. "They naturally do not. wish to sco Germany crushed; but they would dread to see her triumphant, forcing her ideals upon the rest of tho world. TIiPJ" raako no secret of it. Their hearts may bo German, but their heads nro all here. Their children have been brought up rc-jth a lore of Germany, bnt it ia the Germany of legend. With Germany, as they see it to-day, they are justaaavy." - " That this is probable- is proved by the attitude iaken up by tho "NewYork Evening Post," which is quite one of the most important of American nei*s.papcrs, and is owned and edited by men "who?© fathers wero Germans. At tho beginning of rhe war, tho 'Tost" published a closely-reasoned manifesto" which has since been circulated as n, pamphlet; and which has greatly helped to form German-Ameri-can opinion. To tho Germany of idealism, of enthusiasm for humanity; to Germany, tho patient, untiring worker, tbo leader of thought: to deeply religious, high-minded Germany, lover of art, of music, of literature, servant of science: to Germany trained and strong for all good ends, the editors professed their allegiance and affection. To the Germany of blood and iron, tho ruthless trampler-idown of liberty, tho scorner of law. and tho worshipper, of war. they intended to oppose whatever influence Jay in their hands. It was a fine article, and it made a deep impression. It expresses —I do not think there is any doubt- 1 — the arerago opinion hero to-day of tho educated American German. - If young America could havo its tray, American boys would be manning thft trenches side It sido with our lads.' . "•. ; . . ■- ■..'.':- . \ Au American woman was telling ns of a iet-ture eho attended. The lecturer had just returned from "tho Front." Ho showed them pictures or the ruifted villages., the shattered towns, tho homeless peasants fleeing down tho roads carrying their pathetiV little bundles. "It all made us very sad," .she'said, "hut I think it the the last picture of all he showed us that moved us most

It. was just a snapshot of a of English recruits marching dfl*miK£ street. Such boys they w«eFsj!p2 mere faojs. so full of life. £»nuf3/i iheni had turned towards they passed, and had latished aetoiill- ; their hand ß . There was juat 4 (££.£ £a?p went thron.sih the room. anj-ls/ turned and looked at one another y*;-; tho tears sprang to our eyes. -tt-S? ' almost as if they wero our own SkjjJ, \ aud w/« wondered if we'd erer aoett»anain.' , v? 7 ' Tiier p:?r it at overt- resta^ijthat song vi the mii«ic hall, ThatfjjJr & chance and n whim have poetry. And th*» crowd lay» d<W)jjk : Unite and fork and likens— ftT * Tioi?y, msun-miirored room They sec il;p death-owepo valle?} which tho Lids arc ir.arehinjjj. "*V 4*2* and a silence fails,. T look fiwa iS to face. Youhs America, if its tv-ay. would be marching j«*ins '-It's ;v Lons, Long "Way- to Ti J. perary. , ' * , v£ j ' HT'SINKsS MEN AND THE 1 Husincbs America i-> not so fraafc lyhi its vicv •>. 1 have talked with qujtl a few: inar.ufAoJurcJv. dealers, raiJnaj - pion—thf men who real!*- have chin** 01 *.he uork>. -fr-' "A low or n<; are doinj; well jnjt 4 present,'* one ot" them coin eased to'mj* "working ni«sh: .md day. , rlothiup, boots, jhc-t copper—all\nj. lof war materia!. It is always thoi?£tory of war: a lew contractors JB&t' : I ties , tort:i:ie->. but business as a ffftgo I pets beaten 10 a standstill. Take fist .«icol Twde. wlii--h ovor here ■β-o &]««»'' iPK.ird a» a barometer. Alrcad? it is ■ down fifty per <enr. They say rtvovpr after tho unr—-nruencrer % 5 may be—hut rnvsclf I doubt ;t. iril! want rebuilding:, it. u> true; ,v. on'c ha\e much money to sond m» ' beiv. Siio'U iry to do jt. herself. ■ \ \ Tic-tcrioiis war tmils energy into a cow^- , ' 1 to. Look at Germany after 18TO!> .Russia hns unlimited hidien'. avroT in Siberia which hitherto she $*»;■ r.o\. had tho ability or tbo punjpßiit.' to n#e. Kuropp, short of cash, ityl millions of mon looking for fresb..-JcJj--_ will yeo what' fiho can p;et. out. of own bark garden beforo eHe sces'ffllshoppins ogam., , &-'-'' "They won't be sending us »nj i «f : their goods, either," remarked anotfor man from a neighbouring chair ;"*fr" won't, have to bother about the ufi,j'We'll bo rid of compotition "* V* -That's true already," replied tbt first speaker: "«\c*to got. rid c-ompetitors and of half our costaanfi-f at tho .«aow time. And what's thoiisf--.sult? That wn are poorer than-i|»' ; TTcro, and aro soing on poorer.'" ' , "I clirays thaught you were a Tuflf ' Ueforrecr at heart," laughed bisfriead.;--'Over here they mean by a 'Tatiff' Jtoformer' a Free-Trader."' - "I'm moTing that way.' , admi(ttd« the other: "and so will you bo beftif) Ihis war ij finisned with." *',' Busine&s America is worried and vs£~' decided. But. of one thing jehe.)iifh by now. convinced herself: That ah*s*'" nor Eoins to benefit by this warj 'w*t.she is Roing to loso by it; and'-miV moro and more- for cvory day thafcil*' continues. A ten- Trill tell you. ."' ently ; but on© has a suspicion thai tJjffi-i , are talking for effect, that by America grow ing rich at Europe>*£■' p«n&o they will fre.ite an atmosphihlh--of pause. Certain it is that among'#K American business men I have met war, aro not politicians there is no Uik."«l?-' capturing trade. Tho war trade iujfr.* I aro doing, just for so long as it Usfe/' they regard rather as a dislocatiat #.-, tho country's bus>inesp. They pence, and they tee clearly thafe itf" only chance lies in .-i completo vietwyvfor tho Alliej. At first they tho«si'? England was not in earnest d'.itspi spoken before of tho 'stfso oonreyed by a section of the Lo^»t,' : J Prtast. It did immense harm); tba&iP? ! patched-up compromise might be~i&j&j! }.ib!e. Now their only hope is speedy success. " .'/?£?-% '"I think,' , said a business "wia^to' 1 ! mc tho other day, a man wboso ~- would carry weight, "lhat" a "Vij * disaster to tho Allies- nould America into it."- ■ • , -^7 "On which side?" I -rf* , i '•W«l|," he anbvorod. ""nr* .<J<m'Jbfe want Germany bossins the world's bitti*& Ktess." " -, • THE ATTITUDE OF OFFICIAL .If AMERICA. ~ ■}% Official America is not talking;- '*-1> had tbo honour last week of a starffinterview with President TTikon.'. interest in.English literature and tjs*v drama was quite uncanny. again he persisted in returning to"ii!?v On tho matter of the war he altdted'-v mc only one brief glimpse into J 'Ms t| roind. It was ho himself who Shtwr*? duced tbo subject of Treitscbks. - A stood with hi' 3, hands m hia pocketf^ l !- --lookins out through the high wiaftgji?'! 7 ; upon tbo pleasant gardens &urTotjndu(si': the White Houf>e. '"It is quite able." he continued musingly, "ljoi;it all Germany &eems to have a'loweJjt-J 1 felf to become possessed with the SffSHu and doctrines of Trcitschke.*' It bo gathered from his tone that h& v fc*i§' no sympathy with the 'Mf Treitsehke- - ' j.;-.-^.*C A Minister with whom. oftenr«fluf<T had a. stroll in the pardons BUni^eiv , " tip, briefly {or roy benefit, the attitwfe! of official America. ' T/\trgf "One of your writora," h&sii&j!. l k»f& likened America- to ais not a truo explanation. all tho nations of the earth tosether to rea.ko a peop'c. cofiniro the ijood of all to make feet, whole. If w© hr.d any feat*? England beine crushed out of ezfs£j£' enco vro should. I think, corao to'J6i#t-f aid. But. oi tljat there can b© On tbo other hand, vro feel it would%s dny for the entire race ifj(*sr->u marr. genius ibonld bo unduly v«r. interests are peace, and the progress of democrniic ideals tnrt»gtl&". out the world. VThvn thie trar, jVorfr/,: Md shall bo Ihe only nation iblr approach the consideration future without passion and •prejudice. Wo are koeping our'a l^^!:, *"ocl for that purpose. , *—"JJalljf; Xcns."' -."' 'y.