ed by the
Australian commander for his gallant defense, he was so taken aback
that he had to walk away and think it over. He returned to thank his
adversary for his complimentary remarks. With true German scientific
instinct he had to find his defeat in a physical cause, remarking, "It
was fortunate for you that your first shot took away my speaking tubes."

The English are sports in war,--too sporty in fact. General Joffre
warned General French over and over again, "Your officers are too
audacious; you will soon have none to command," and his words proved
true. The English officers felt that the rules of the game called upon
them to lead their men. They became targets for the guns of the foe,
until one of the present embarrassments in England is the unprecedented
loss of officers.

This has now been changed and Kitchener insists that both officers and
men shall regard themselves as property of the Empire, that the
exposure of a single life to unnecessary hazard is a breach of
discipline. For this reason Victoria Crosses are not numerous, less
than two dozen having been conferred thus far; and it has been quietly
announced that no Victoria Crosses will be conferred for single acts of
bravery or where only one life is involved. It must be team work and
results affecting many.

For this reason also it has been decreed that the 33,000 Canadians in
training at Salisbury Plain shall not be put in the front until they
have learned discipline in place of the American initiative.

These Canadian boys receive their home pay of four shillings, or $1 per
day, while the English Tommy gets one quarter of this amount. The
Canadians are fine fellows, feeling their independence and anxious to
be on the firing line, but the War Office recognizes that soldierly
independence cannot be allowed in this war. It is not improbable that
the Canadian troops will eventually be dispersed that their strong
individual initiative may be thoroughly harnessed under the
organization before they are trusted in the trenches. They are not to
be permitted to go there to be shot at, but to use their splendid
physiques, fighting abilities, and patriotism--more British than the
English themselves--in strict organization.

This is not to be an audacious war on the part of the Allies. It is
first a defensive war in which the Germans are the heaviest losers. On
the part of the Germans it is an audacious war and its very audacity
has astounded th