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IV。 THE RIDDLE OF THE BRITISH
All the French people I met in France seemed to be thinking and
talking about the English。 The English bring their own
atmosphere with them； to begin with they are not so talkative；
and I did not find among them anything like the same vigour of
examination； the same resolve to understand the Anglo…French
reaction； that I found among the French。 In intellectual
processes I will confess that my sympathies are undisguisedly
with the French； the English will never think nor talk clearly
until the get clerical 〃Greek〃 and sham 〃humanities〃 out of their
public schools and sincere study and genuine humanities in； our
disingenuous Anglican compromise is like a cold in the English
head； and the higher education in England is a training in
evasion。 This is an always lamentable state of affairs； but just
now it is particularly lamentable because quite tremendous
opportunities for the good of mankind turn on the possibility of
a thorough and entirely frank mutual understanding between
French； Italians； and English。 For years there has been a
considerable amount of systematic study in France of English
thought and English developments。 Upon almost any question of
current English opinion and upon most current English social
questions； the best studies are in French。 But there has been
little or no reciprocal activity。 The English in France seem to
confine their French studies to /La Vie Parisienne。/ It is
what they have been led to expect of French literature。
There can be no doubt in any reasonable mind that this war is
binding France and England very closely together。 They dare not
quarrel for the next fifty years。 They are bound to play a
central part in the World League for the Preservation of Peace
that must follow this struggle。 There is no question of their
practical union。 It is a thing that must be。 But it is
remarkable that while the French mind is agog to apprehend every
fact and detail it can about the British； to make the wisest and
fullest use of our binding necessities； that strange English
〃incuria〃to use the new slangattains to its most monumental
in this matter。
So there is not much to say about how the British think about the
French。 They do not think。 They feel。 At the outbreak of the
war； when the performance of France seemed doubtful； there was an
enormous feeling for France in Great Britain； it was like the
formless feeling one has for a brother。 It was as if Britain had
discovered a new instinct。 If France had crumpled up like paper；
the English would have fought on passionately to restore her。
That is ancient history now。 Now the English still feel
fraternal and fraternally proud； but in a mute way they are
dazzled。 Since the German attack on Verdun began； the French
have achieved a crescendo。 None of us could have imagined it。
It did not seem possible to very many of us at the end of 1915
that either France or Germany could hold on for another year。
There was much secret anxiety for France。 It has given place now
to unstinted confidence and admiration。 In their astonishment
the British are apt to forget the impressive magnitude of their
own effort； the millions of soldiers； the innumerable guns； the
endless torrent of supplies that pour into France to avenge the
little army of Mons。 It seems natural to us that we should so
exert ourselves under the circumstances。 I suppose it is
wonderful； but； as a sample Englishman； I do not feel that it is
at all wonderful。 I did not feel it wonderful even when I saw
the British aeroplanes lording it in the air over Martinpuich；
and not a German to be seen。 Since Michael would have it so；
there； at last； they were。
There was a good deal of doubt in France about the vigour of the
British effort； until the Somme offensive。 All that had been
dispelled in August when I reached Paris。 There was not the
shadow of a doubt remaining anywhere of the power and loyalty of
the British。 These preliminary assurances have to be made；
because it is in the nature of the French mind to criticise； and
it must not be supposed that criticisms of detail and method
affect the fraternity and complete mutual confidence which is the
stuff of the Anglo…French relationship。
2
Now first the French have been enormously astonished by the
quality of the ordinary British soldiers in our new armies。 One
Colonial colonel said something almost incredible to mealmost
incredible as coming as from a Frenchman； it was a matter to
solemn for any compliments or polite exaggerations； he said in
tones of wonder and conviction； 〃/They are as good as
ours。/〃 It was his acme of all possible praise。
That means any sort of British soldier。 Unless he is assisted by
a kilt the ordinary Frenchman is unable to distinguish between
one sort of British soldier and another。 He cannot telllet the
ardent nationalist mark the fact！a Cockney from an Irishman or
the Cardiff from the Essex note。 He finds them all extravagantly
and unquenchably cheerful and with a generosity〃like good
children。〃 There his praise is a little tinged by doubt。 The
British are recklessrecklessness in battle a Frenchman can
understand； but they are also reckless about to…morrow's bread
and whether the tent is safe against a hurricane in the night。
He is struck too by the fact that they are much more vocal than
the French troops； and that they seem to have a passion for bad
lugubrious songs。 There he smiles and shrugs his shoulders； and
indeed what else can any of us do in the presence of that
mystery？ At any rate the legend of the 〃phlegmatic〃 Englishman
has been scattered to the four winds of heaven by the guns of the
western front。 The men are cool in action； it is true； but for
the rest they are； by the French standards； quicksilver。
But I will not expand further upon the general impression made by
the English in France。 Philippe Millet's /En Liaison avec les
Anglais/ gives in a series of delightful pictures portraits of
British types from the French angle。 There can be little doubt
that the British quality； genial naive； plucky and generous； has
won for itself a real affection in France wherever it has had a
chance to display itself。。。。
But when it comes to British methods then the polite Frenchman's
difficulties begin。 Translating hints into statements and
guessing at reservations； I would say that the French fall very
short of admiration of the way in which our higher officers set
about their work； they are disagreeably impressed by a general
want of sedulousness and close method in our leading。 They think
we economise brains and waste blood。 They are shocked at the way
in which obviously incompetent or inefficient men of the old army
class are retained in their positions even after serious
failures； and they were profoundly moved by the bad staff work
and needlessly heavy losses of our opening attacks in July。 They
were ready to condone the blunderings and flounderings of the
1915 offensive as the necessary penalties of an 〃amateur〃 army；
they had had to learn their own lesson in Champagne； but they
were surprised to find how much the British had still to learn in
July； 1916。 The British officers excuse themselves because； they
plead； they are still amateurs。 〃That is no reason；〃 says the
Frenchman； 〃why they should be amateurish。〃
No Frenchman said as much as this to me； but their meaning was as
plain as daylight。 I tackled one of my guides on this matter； I
said that it was the plain duty of the French military people to
criticise British military methods sharply if they thought they
were wrong。 〃It is not easy；〃 he said。 〃Many British officers
do not think they have anything to learn。 And English people do
not like being told things。 What could we do？ We could hardly
send a French officer or so to your headquarters in a tutorial
capacity。 You have to do things in your own way。〃 When I tried
to draw General Castelnau into this dangerous question by
suggesting that we might borrow a French general or so； he would
say only； 〃There is only one way to learn war； and that is to
make war。〃 When it was too late； in the lift； I thought of the
answer to that。 There is only one way to make war； and that is
by the sacrifice of incapables and the rapid promotion of able
men。 If old and tried types fail now； new types must be sought。
But to do that we want a standard of efficiency。 We want a
conception of intellectual quality in performance that is still
lacking。。。。
M。 Joseph Reinach； in whose company I visited the French part of
the Somme front； was full of a scheme； which he has since
published； for the breaking up and recomposition of the French
and British armies into a series of composite armies which would
blend the magnificent British manhood and material with French
science and military experience。 He pointed out the endless
advantages of such an arrangement； the stimulus of emulation； the
promotion of intimate fraternal feeling between the peoples of
the two countries。 〃At present；〃 he said； 〃no Frenchman ever
sees an Englishman except at Amiens or on the Somme。 Many of
them still have no idea of what the E