DR. WHITE ON AMERICA AND THE WAR. [To THE EDITOR
Or TIIs " Brneraeron."] B111,—There are indeed millions of Americans who sympathize fully with what you call " Dr. White's indictment of the Govern- ment of his native land" in the Spectator of August 14th. Mr. Roosevelt also expressed their sentiments in his fine speech at Plattsburgh yesterday. Everybody so far has stood behind the President in the hope, if not the belief, that his brave words meant something—that he would hold Germany to a "strict accountability," that he would not forget the women and ohildren of the ' Lusitania,' murdered on the high seas by German pirates. Yet the weeks and months have gone by. and he has contented himself with unpacking his heart with words. Now comes the sinking of the Arabic '—a " deliber- ately unfriendly act," if ever there were one. For the moment it looked as if he might be spurred to action. But we see Germany again playing the old game of delay with his assent, A " disavowal " will atone for anything.
Perhaps by the time you receive Vaese lines something will have been done. Perhaps the national honour which be esteems so lightly will have been vindicated. But nothing can quite atone for his obvious fear to act, for his obvious anxiety to snatch at any excuse for inaction. Dr. White is right. We are ashamed of the President; we shall never again have confidence in him. Some time ago I said in your columns that the real explanation of his attitude is that he is a pro-German. I have seen no reason to change this opinion. But nine-tenths of the American people sympathize profoundly and passionately with the Allies, and they regret bitterly that at this crisis their country has played so ignoble Philadelphia, August 26th.
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