The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1917. THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 54, 27 November 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1917. THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA

An obvious deduction to bo drawn from late even Is in the war iB that the AVestern Allies are confident of receiving such assistance from America as will more than balance tho Russian collapse and tho enemy's partial succcss against Italy. These untoward events havo enlarged the Allied task, and, although it is reported to-day that General Kaledin is advancing on Moscow, it seems possible that in Russia the existing situation may be modified still further in the enemy's favour. Yet in these conditions, and in spite of tho fact that they have had to transfer a considerable body of force from the AVestern front to Italy, tho Allies are prosecuting their offensivo in tho main theatre with redoubled energy. It is already evident that this winter will witness a far greater tide of conflict on the Franco-Brit-ish front than its predecessor, although a year ago Russia still counted as a big factor in the war and Italy had practically an unbroken record of victorious progress. The great expansion in Allied effort which is now in evidence is certainly intended to be continued, and tho accession of strength which America has brought and will bring to tho Allies is manifestly the decisive factor in making such a policy possible. There is fortunately amplo evidence ■ that the _ confidenco in America thus implied is not misplaced. It is no longer possible to doubt that the American nation is determined to literally fulfil President AVilson's assurance to the Allies in general and to Franco in particular: "To the last man and to the last dollar the whole force of the United States is at your service." Firm confidence in tlie loyal -co-operation of the United States finds an immediate justification in the generous aid it has already rendered to its Allies and the impressive scale of its material preparations, but it is even better justified by the development throughout the nation of a spirit which goes far to realise tho conditions envisaged and demanded by President AVilson

when he said in his inaugural address :

It is imperative tlmt wo should stand together. Wo ni'Q boing forged into a new unity amidst the iires that now blnzo throughout iho world. In their ardent heat, we shall in God's pvovidenco, let us hopo, be purged of faction and division, purified of tho errant humours of party and of private interest, and shall stand forth in tho days io como with a now dignity of .national pride and spirit.

These words were prophetic. Even when the United States had cast tho dio for war many doujits wero expressed as to whether such a conglomerate democracy could play an effective part as a belligerent, but in a practical test these doubts havft vanished. Native and foreign commentators bear unanimous testimony oil this point. Out of many opinions that might be quoted we may select that of a well-informed Washington correspondent who wrote last month that as the result of extensive inquiries and a comprehensive survey, members of the Government were convinced that the American people wero moro thoroughly united in their desire to seo the war prosecuted vigorously than they were at the beginning, and that slowly hut surely the meaning of America's crusade against autocracy in the world was being brought home to the people. Subscriptions to tho Liberty Loan from persons of small income tended, the correspondent added, to prove this, but even mo~re striking was tho ready response of the men called from civilian occupations to tho national army. Resistance and opposition to tho draft have been negligible, and it is tho testimony of those who witnessed the contingents assembling that there need be no fear that the country has not awakened to determination. This awakening has been notably stimulated by a widespread educational campaign and not least by the State Department's revelations of the foul intrigues by which Germany sought i to compromise and antagonise nations with whom she professed to be lon friendly terms. One striking proof of the unifying effect of the war on the American nation is afforded in a page advertisement of the Liberty Loan recently published in some of tho New Yorlc newspapers. This page was an appeal, signed by tho American Association of Foreign Language Newspapers, to Americans of foreign birth_ to buy Liberty Bonds, and it contained the following statement: "This page advertisement will appear _in 442 American newspapers printed in foreign languages in the United States which have offered free advertising space in their columns to the Government for tho duration of the war, to advertise tho United States Government Liberty Bonds." Tho 442 newspapers are printed in thirty different languages, the languages of practically every European nation excopt Germany, and of some Asiatic races. The lidt covers Allied and many neutral nations, including the neutrals who have basely truckled to Germany or lent themselves to her unscrupulous intrigues, and it includes also the languages of many of tho nationalities living _ under Gorman, Austrian, or Turkish oppression. Q'he appeal closes with the words:

We, the undersigned, know tlie terrible fate that is being meted out to our kinsmen abroad by tlie enemy that the United States Government is now lighting, and we appeal to yon to subseribs to the utmost of your ability to the Unitod States Liberty Bonds.

This is not only an indication of the spirit in which Americans of foreign birth, other than Germans, arc rallying to the defenco of their adopted country, but in itself is a sinking presentation of the merits of the war. This united and ■ spontaneous action by the members of so many races is a splendid demonstration of tho fact that the cause which America has championed is that of all humanity. In its broad features the war programme in which the American nation is giving expression to its fixed determination to bring_ Germany to defeat is fairly familiar. At home and abroad the United States has more than 1,000,000 soldiers under training,, and a recent announcement stated that it was not unlikely that before the end of this year the President would order tho enrolment of another compulsory draft. Two months ago, or more, the war expenditure of the United States upon its own preparations amounted to well over £1,800,000 a day, and loans to the Allies accounted for another £2,400,000 every twenty-four hours. American naval squadrons are doing effective work in European waters, and will be largely reinforced as time goes on; and a great shipbuilding programme is in hand which will rcs)ilt in the production of. millions of tons of now mercantilo shipping next year, America brings, in tact, practically illimitable resources in support_ of tho common cause, and the spirit which is steadily rising in her people is a definite guarantee that these resources will not be spared however long the struggle may continue. The outlook was tersely summed up by General Pershing, who commands the American Expeditionary Force, when ho was told that the German-Americans were endeavouring to popularise tho idea that the war on the Western front would end in a stalemate. "America," he said, "has reuources in men and material, once they are prepared, to add weight to the Allies which must force a military decision against Germany."