THE ATTITUDE OF AMERICA.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13744, 6 April 1915, Page 3

THE ATTITUDE OF AMERICA.

Under the heading "A Great Danger," the "Spectator," in its issue of January 23rd, refers to the attitude of America in regard to the war. The article says : —"Englishmen who love and admire America and desire to maintain our friendship with her unimpaired—in spite of all appearances, they are- the vast majority of the British people—cannot help feeling at this moment acute anxiety and alarm at the way in which we are drifting towards the danger of a collision with the United States. The force of circumstances may at any moment undo all the good done since the Treaty signed at Ghent one hundred years ago. When we .say this we are not alarmed about any special incident or any visible rock ahead. What we are much more concerned about than specific plans for bending the neutral* ity of America in such a way that ifc will bring material aid to Germany i 3 the want of the understanding of the situation, both military and moral, which is shown by the American Government and by largo sections of the American people. We entirely acquit America of any desire first to humble us, and then to take our place in the world. On the contrary, we are very ready to believe that the majority of Americans are at heart on the side of the parent stock,, and do not wish its ill, but would very much prefer to see us win if we can do so without making things uncomfortable for them. Unfortunately, however, they do not realis© what is the temper of the British people at the present moment. They do not understand that, instead of our being less inclined to stand up to them now than we were in peace time, we are ten times more likely to prove combative, or, as they would say, unreasonable. They think that because wo are in a tight place they can ask things from us which they would not have asked in peace, and that we must yield to necessity. When the attitude of the American Government is considered, it is impossible to deny that it causes deep resentment here, even amongst those who, like ourselves, were so pro-American in their sympathies that six months ago the satirists were inclined to tell them that they imagined America' could do no wrong."