WILL AMERICA FIGHT?

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15182, 29 March 1917, Page 5

WILL AMERICA FIGHT?

PUJBHC SENTIMENT AND \ NATURAL CAUSES. •[The( following article on the attitude of America towards the war was written -for the Dominion 'by Mr Fred Davison, past President of *the Chicago Australasian 'Society, ■; who has-''' ; just'returned from the United States after residing: there some years. . Mr Davison's views, it will be noted, are extreme and and are based on his /, own observations and experiences. Whether he-has’formed a correct estimate we shall probably know next week, when Congress meets.] Roosevelt should know Americans, and he has summedthem op as follows:—“My countrymen have two faults—one is the habit of making promises that they never intend'to keep, the other is mistaking; elocution fOr an eflacient substitute for action.” If New Zealanders will read the American cablegrams appearing in the dally ' Press .with the aid of the Rooseveltlan pronouncement, they will get fairly close to the attitude of Americans towards the United States taking a physical part in the Great War. For eight years I have lived in the United States, meeting all sorts and conditions, of men, and I have met only one who favours intervention —physical intervention. Mentally, the American will fight—financially, no; physically, -heven The one/ American (excepting Roosevelt, of course) who would have the United States jump into the fight had been 12 years out of the States and had just returned to Chicago from Russia when I met him. He told me he had called on an elderly Russia ip charge of considerable business Interests in Petrograd, and the Russian opened out as follows: “You are an American—l want to ask you a question. I have some Hght to ask it, for I fought for the North in your Civil War—what kind of mem are you raising now?” My friend told me he could give him no answer, for he: had none to give, and could only stahd ashamed. Twp things would make America fight—the German Fleet outside New York battering ‘ down the skyscrapers, or -the; Japanese blowing up San Francisco. For less than this they will not fight. All England could be Belgiumised, all Englishwomen outraged, 1 and all Englishmen lined against a Well and Shot* and the United States would not pull a trigger—though some. Notes, might be' written. As to New Zealand—why, not even a Note would be forthcoming/ The sooner,/the British everywhere:realise this fact (for fact it is) the better, for then they will , know that there is no help except jn our own strong arms. . IfHs a finish light—with - the United States as looker-on and picker-up of unconsidered trifles. / In all that Woodrow Wilson has left undone, though hot unwritten, he has Udd, and still has, the support of Americans. “Me kept us out of the war" gave Wilson his second term ‘and the minority vote that elected him in 1912 into the majority vote over Hughes in 1916. I have lived eight years in America, earning my living alongside the American people in St. Louis, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake, and San Francisco, atod I know Americans^—know how they do things add why they do things. - The official, from .New Zealand, Australia, ( and elsewhere knows; little of his America, He is “official,” so' he‘ Is outside the people, and as they $ hot talk openly, to him he cannot; learn. The tourist travels over land, but knowledge passes him by also. He reads the “outside" of the papers—the inner meaning is scaled to hiffi. As to- who sends put the cable news on which the British, including New Zealanders, are fed, I do not know, but the items have a strong American smell. Take those appearing in the Dominion of Saturday last, March 24: “It is believed that action to be taken by Congress, will make the American position unmistakable" sounds good—but read it twice, and it says nothing and means nothing. Congress has done nothing—and what is the American position? Again, “Mr Roosevelt’s proposal for an expeditionary force is" widely discussed, but While it is evident there will be a vast body of volunteers it is unlikely that any early, action will be taken.” That is a “peach.” Roosevelt’s talk of raising a division of soldiers was stale when I left the States a month ago, and nobody ever took any notice of it at any time. “Teddy is shopting the bull again,” was the usual comment made. The “vast body of volunteers” makes me’ smile. Ijvent around the recruiting offices ittuhicago when efforts were being made to fill the National Guard at the time of the Mexican raids, and there was neither enthusiasm dor recruits. A&ain, when Mr. Wilson “broke” with Mexico, I watched the recruiting offices, and again the recruits were not there. Roosevelt has a paper scheme, but that is all. So, as the cablegram says;'“lt is unlikely that any .early action will be taken.” It 'is unlikely! The “break” with Germany .gave the newspapers great opportunity to wage war “mentally.” The Chicago/Tribune headed, one of its articles, “War Recruiting Plans to make Kitchener’s Work Appear Small,” and then proceeded; “The campaign which will be conducted by the United States Army will set an example to the world,” said Captain Kinney. "The United States will make Kitchener’s campaign look 'small, in comparison.” And so on until the space was filled. Reeds all right to Americans, but sounds badly,in other -folks' ears. Of coarse, the recruits never eventuated; but no one ever thought they would, nor will ibby: join Roosevelt's expeditionary, force. 'The people of the United States, are - npt making, the kind of. noisea nation makes before it fights., The truth of the matter is that Americans despise all European peoples, and do net think any European cause . Whatever worth fighting' about;. They are taught to so despise them by their ..school* aid by thelK newspapers. -An Ameiiean does, not know and cannpt be taught that anything outside is worthy. , ~ A personal friend of,mine, high. In the American newspaper‘'world, heartily dislikes the British, though himself of British descent. Said, he to' me; “I don’t know why it .is, but I don't like them.” "IwflltMl yon*” said I. M Tow got it as a sbmll KM ■-, v /

at school”; and I brought to bnT4|| memory the little tales told the bQMipP and girls. "You are right,” he “1 neter looked at it that way fore. I got it at school,” Getting back to thecablogranfejig They,wag on: "All the feature with headlines across thMip pages the proximity of war.” Weßßf|||| well! But they have been tlius figbpfS ing mentally this two and a years. Americans don’t worry abo|£|||| their papers’ headlines. 'The AmerieMwcan Press has been “demanding” "must"-mg and “biffing” the Kaiakl*. ij& and slapping John Bull this ■■ time. Who cares? It means-as llttia, ; as President Wilson’s Notes. Of: course,; the cablegram writer would say in defence:' “It was in 'thf - r ; papers.” Of course "it was; bnt la never was in the people’s mindsjj ,; ; which is the main thing. . ,'5 And so on, and so, on, America M u the “Laiid of Let’s Pretend,” and X Britishers will do well to recognise the fact. "■ ■" 'But there is one thing that w$ should bear in mind. It is thing First, last, and all the time America is a business nation —always the en ]/;. is on the main chance. So far then ;; have made all the money poanible oui of the war; later they will try' t<* / make all the monfs possible out the peace—and to do so will at 'tjWVf '' right moment, when no sacrifice wdjß|‘ : be involved, come out “boldly” the Allies—that. they, may be ' ed in after-the-war tariffs. ’At tltaf 1 - time we must remember that. thd r " only thing entitling any nation tc( / equality of benefit is equality of ago#- ’ riflee. And America has made sacrifice, will make cable# grams to the contrary notwithstahdih ' ing. J

GERMAN SHIPS ATTACHED^

MANILA FIRM LEVIES ON ' THIRTY-ONE. . ■MANILA, February W. ' - The Behnmeyer Company of Manila* a German firm, has obtained writs of attachment agiast twenty-one Qi»msi| ; shins held by the American authorities / at Manila, Cebu and Iloilo to mooweg ; / half a million pesos for maiAtenaie^’/of the vessels and their crews since H*#'” ' outbreak of the Var. Goyeraor-Gewra| Harrison has sent a. letter to . the Gen* , man Consul explaining that the Teasel# were seized merely in order to pruteefi' the harbour and shipping. The GoMbf : , nor has suspended all vacations dmnmgf _• the present crisis. • WASHINGTON, February 10. “ ’ Officials here understand that th# Behnmeyer Company of Manila, in fadk , is a fiscal agent for the> German GWK. V eminent and it is believed that the par**-"// po«e of ,the company is suing put writa : of attachment is to secure a fiat litM'l ’ upon the German ships. V 4 It. is authoritatively stated that iduf ships never have been legally seized b?' the- Philippine authorities, but MMMm ,/ are assigned to certain bertha in amanxU J ance with usual hdrbonr laws. » ' crown were landed, only to safeguard the property for the German oWnera. ; >