AMERICA'S WAR PULSE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 298, 5 September 1918, Page 6

AMERICA'S WAR PULSE

QUICKENED BY HUNS' ACTIVITIES

OPENING 0F tHE PUBLIC'S EYES

The great change that lias taken place in public opinion in the United States regarding the war was referred to yesterday by a visitor from San Francisco. A.little over three years back, he remarked, pro-German processions were not only permitted in Sail Francisco, but they, were allowed to glorify themselves in t-lio halls and grounds of the big exposition, and it was considered the height of impudence to express any sentiment favourable to the causo of tha Allies. America liad learned something since then. The East learned the lesson first. It was closer to events, and knew, mora or less .accurately, how things were going, and what sort of boast the Hun really was. At one stage, the visitor averred, there were three distinct phases of sentimental prejudice. The populous East was wholly pro-Ally, the Middle "West was about half and half (owing to its big Gorman population, still largely pro-Ger-man), and the West, whilst perhaps not wbollv pro-German, was at any rate curioiisly anti-British. The last twelve months had witnessed a mighty" upheaval. America's entry into the war had lifted the bandages from many eyes, and cleared all doubt from clouded minds. Even in the West —where the English accent was not very popularthe feeling of the people had been genuinely aroused against tho dirty, unsportsmanlike German, with his disgusting "might is right" policy, and the Allies had valuable helpers in tho "Slopers." According to the visitor, the West is making up with a vengeance for its behaviour of a few years ago, and all •German folk are seeking to camouflage their identity under good honest AngloSaxon name's. Sau Francisco is not (lie biggest shipbuilding centre of the Vest, but, the Union Ironworks and Moore and Scott's works were working at high pressure building steel vessels of every sort. Within tho last threo months' half a dozen destroyers were seen on tho stocks, and those wore probably now doing duty in tho Atlantic. Tli'ey were also building merchantmen of steel and iron. The standard wooden ships were being built higher nj) the coast —at Seattle, Puget Sound, and Vancouver. Many of them were already in commission, and they must already be playing their part in the winning of the war. The visitor says (that "Hoovorism is not popular, but it is mightily effective from a patriotic point of view. Even in San Francisco the person who dines in a restaurant is .only allowed two ounces of bread per meal, and does not get that unless lie asks specifically for it. No all-flour bread is obtainable. There is only 20 per cent, of flour used in tlrn making of the bread—the rest is made of rye, or pollard and brail; still it is quite good and wholesome. The saving effected must-be great. '"Hoover says.it is absolutely necessary if the armies of the Allies are to bft well fed." said our informant, "and, believe me, Hoover knows!" ■ _ _ Sugar was very scarce when* tho visitor left San Francisco, owing, it was said, to the havoc played by German submarines among the sugar-carrying steamers trading between the West Indies and American ports. The country was being roused into action by a procession of war lecturers of all nationalities. Among those to make the biggest impression was Harry Lauder, thTScotch sinner, who swings the lash with a mightv arm, and scared tho inactive into, action as perhaps no other speaker had. Other very popular snookers were Lieutenant- Mead ( a Canadian"), and a blind Australian soldier, who siwke grandly, and whose sight was afterwards restored to him by a daring operation by a great New York specialist.