r invariably was: "We should worry!" That is not a
good answer. With a nation it surely should be as with the individuals
who compose it. If, when an individual is told he has lost the good
opinion of his friends, he sings, "I don't care, I don't care!" he
exhibits only bad manners.

The other reply made to the warning was personal abuse. That also is
the wrong answer. To kill the messenger of ill tidings is an ancient
prerogative; but it leads nowhere. If it is true that we are losing our
friends we should try to find out whose fault it is that we lost them,
and our wish should be to bring our friends back.

Men of different countries of Europe repeatedly told me that all of a
century must elapse before America can recover the prestige she has lost
since this war began. My answer was that it was unintelligent to judge
ninety million people by the acts, or lack of action, of one man, and
that to recover our lost prestige will take us no longer than is
required to get rid of that man. As soon as we elect a new President and
a new Congress, who are not necessarily looking for trouble, but who
will not crawl under the bed to avoid it, our lost prestige will return.

In the meantime, that France and her Allies succeed should be the hope
and prayer of every American. The fight they are waging is for the
things the real, unhyphenated American is supposed to hold most high and
most dear. Incidentally, they are fighting his fight, for their success
will later save him, unprepared as he is to defend himself, from a
humiliating and terrible thrashing. And every word and act of his now
that helps the Allies is a blow against frightfulness, against
despotism, and in behalf of a broader civilization, a nobler freedom,
and a much more pleasant world in which to live.

RICHARD HARDING DAVIS.

April 11, 1916.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. PRESIDENT POINCARE THANKS AMERICA 3

II. THE MUD TRENCHES OF ARTOIS 35

III. THE ZIGZAG FRONT OF CHAMPAGNE 55

IV. FROM PARIS TO THE PIRAEUS 79

V. WHY KING CONSTANTINE IS NEUTRAL 97

VI. WITH THE ALLIES IN SALONIKA 111

VII. Two Boys Against an Army 152

VIII. THE FRENCH-BRITISH FRONT IN SERBIA