NEUTRAL-OFFICIALLY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 3 April 1915, Page 8

NEUTRAL-OFFICIALLY

AMERICANS AND THE WAR

STRONG SYMPATHY FOR ALLIES

"Yes, there is one thing more I should like to mention; that is American feeling regarding the war." Professor J. P. Iddings, United States Geological. Survey and Smithsonian Institution, had been ; talking of New Zealand's volcanic wonI ders, of Iceland and Yellowstone Park, i and earthquakes. Then he turned the conversation suddenly to the greatesthuman upheaval the world has ever seen. "People out* here," he said, addressing the "Post" reporter, "seem to feel a grievance -against America, and to think that because the Administration has been strictly neutral the Americans themselves have no feeling. I can tell you that, with the exception of the German population—which is only about 8 per cent, of the whole—Americans are strongly in sympathy with the Allies. The German-Americans themselves do not approve of German militarism, but the question for them is now one of nationality. In Ameiica we hate the idea of the German military system. To illustrate the American feeling the professor related the story of a young American student., who shouldered a swaggering German officer off a narrow footpath. The officer drew his sword, but the student snatched it and broke it over his knee. Then the German went home and committed suicide. "We just hate the thought of a German office* swelling around in that way," said tuo professor. American people saw also that Germany had been "fixing" for this war for .years past. .. When the Kaiser said that he did not start the war he was laughed at. That kind of thing was not accepted. "In fact, the people inAmerica think that the Kaiser is insane ; that is the only way they can account j for his actions. The Administration, however, was in a different position from the people. The country was neutral and. the Administration- had to be neutral; It said to all nations : 'We are neutral; we will sell you food and goods.' And the manufacturers and merchants sold to Britain, France, and Germany, but with this difference, 'that was not getting the goods. In the polite communications cf diplomats personal feelings could not be expressed.; but there was no reason to believe that official America, when the door was shut, did not feel as strongly for the Allies as the unofficial citizens who were not hedged in by the responsibility of . expressing only neutral sentiments. . t

Not only was there a strong feeling for Britain, but -ever since (he' American War of Independence the States had been strongly inclined towards France. Right opposite White House was La-fayette-square, "with the statue of the famous Frenchman. The sufferings of Belgium also had roused the American sympathy, and pi'ivate effort had resulted in much help, being given to the distressed nation. With Canada, too, there was the strongest bond of friendship; so strong, indeed, that the two peoples could hardly be separated. One reason for the feeling evinced against Americans appeared- to be that people have heard little of the help being given to the Allies, while they heard a great deal of efforts by German-Ameri-cans to assist Germany. It-was a fact, however, that enormous quantities of food, ammunition, and warlike stores were being sent to Great. Britain, and in this way America was proving as useful to the Allies as if she had come into the fight herself. The Dupont Explosives Works were being enlarged -at a cost of about a million, which showed what great quantities of explosives were being supplied. Americans never doubted that the Allies would bo victorious. Re-cently-a statement was madej attributed to a member of the Cabinet, that if America thought that England would be beaten there would be no holding the people. That, he thought, was quite correct. All his correspondence with American friends and" members of his family showed- that in the States there was Jnq doubt about., the trend of popular feeling. He. had never heard anything that would lead him to form a contrary opinion.