After getting used to air raids, and pretty
much exhausting the theatre and sightseeing, Don Martin’s desire to get on to
the ground where the war was being waged increasingly manifested itself – now by a suggestion to Commodore Bennett.
Don Martin diary entry for Wednesday, February 20, 1918: Had breakfast in Lyons. In the office most of afternoon. Saw Gen.
Maurice. Then called at the Marshall Syndicate office with Steele. Had dinner
at Simpson’s and went to the office, spending the evening there. Wrote to Mr. Bennett suggesting a trip to
France. Also wrote to George Cooper and to Dorothy. Came up to hotel at
11:30 and sat around till 12:30 with Maj. McKenzie of Regina, Canada. No air
raid – too cloudy.
Got a suit of clothes
and an overcoat from my Gillets tailors. The suit is pretty flashy, I’m afraid.
Weather
drizzly most of the day.
The letter of February 20 that Don Martin wrote to
Dorothy had some interesting news about Don Martin’s doings and
more about air raids.
Dorothy,
I
don’t know where I’ll be [next summer]. Probably here but one can never tell.
Bennett might take it in his head any time to have me go back to New York
though I doubt it very much. He seems quite satisfied with my work so far. Most
of that stuff in the Sunday paper from London is mine. Now and then I notice
they sign something. It doesn’t matter to me whether they do or not. I am
seeing a good deal and in a way having a pretty good time. I heard the Prime
Minister and Mr. Asquith have their set-to in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
It was a debate which will be talked about for a long time. It is rather
difficult to get into the Commons or the Lords here, much harder than to get
into Congress in Washington. Yesterday morning I had breakfast with the Duchess
of Marlborough at her beautiful home, Sunderland House in London. I wanted to
interview her about her war charities – you know she was Consuelo Vanderbilt –
and I wrote and asked her about it. Although she has never consented to see a
newspaper man before she asked me to come to her home and I had coffee at ten
o’clock in the morning with her. She is a middle-aged woman now but is still
very beautiful. Some time in the Herald you will see a story I am writing about
her.
... Next week there will be a full moon so if the weather is
clear we may expect air raids every night. We had one Saturday night. A large
hotel about two miles from mine was struck and part of it was knocked out.
There was another raid Sunday night and a third on Monday night. Last night we
had a rest and tonight there is peace. London is a most picturesque place when
the raid warnings are given at night. Busses rush around in a race for the
barns. People run for the subway stations and substantial buildings. In the
crowded sections tens of thousands of women rush into the subway stations with
babies in their arms – sometimes three or four – and with pillows and blankets.
You see the raids are on four or five hours. Bombs are not dropped all that
time but people are uneasy. The first signal is given when the air machines
cross the coast 40 miles from London and the “All Clear” is not sounded till
the last of the machines has vanished back across the coast. During the four or
five hours the Germans are trying to get over the city and the English fliers
are fighting with them. The Germans are over the city and able to drop bombs
for only a very few minutes but it doesn’t take many minutes to drop a bomb and
one bomb can do a lot of damage. I look after myself all right. You needn’t
worry.
Written on Wednesday February 20, Don Martin's story of Lloyd George's favorable comments about American diplomacy was published in the New York Herald on Thursday, February 21, 1918.
PREMIERS’S PRAISE OF AMERICAN IDEA PLEASES ENGLISH
Curiosity Regarding Document Read at Versailles Is Intense
[Special Despatch to the Herald via Commercial Cable Company’s System]
Herald Bureau, No. 130 Fleet Street, London, Wednesday
All Britain is highly pleased with the flattering tributes paid to America by Premier Lloyd George in the House of Commons when, in explaining the retirement of General Robertson as chief of the Imperial General Staff, he said that the agreement accepted by the Versailles Council was proposed by the American representative in one of the ablest documents of all time.
Public curiosity concerning the contents of that document is at fever heat, but the people are satisfied to wait until the time comes when its contents may be published without endangering the cause of the Allies by giving information to the enemy. Judging by the praise by the British Premier, that paper of American origin is destined to have an unprecedented circulation.
Premier’s Praise Striking
The document contains “such irresistible logic” that it left nothing to be said. If read in the House of Commons it would be so convincing nothing could be asked of the Premier.
That description of the document by Mr. Lloyd George has permeated the empire with a sense of entire satisfaction. Now let the Hun strike his extreme, his final blow—the blow upon which his fate and not that of the Allies depends. The people know that the Allied forces are prepared and that henceforth the operations of the Allies will be on “the American plan.”
While the people as a whole accept the Premier’s explanation without question, the opposition which effected the crisis and endangered the existence of the Lloyd George Ministry continue to harass the government. In a sensational debate in the House of Commons Austen Chamberlain said that the government could retain the confidence of the people only by severing its relations with the press, which has sought to dictate to the government.
Crisis Definitely Passed
That seems to be the aim of the opposition newspapers to-day. A majority of the newspapers accept the Premier’s statement as a satisfactory explanation of General Robertson’s retirement and of the Versailles agreement. They agree that the Lloyd George Ministry has weathered another storm and has ridden out the gale safely and securely.
While the hostile newspapers acknowledge that the situation has been cleared, they continue their criticism, liberally quote H. H. Asquith, formerly Premier, in saying he regretted that Mr. Lloyd George had not made his explanation a week ago, and are inclined to insist upon the demand of Mr. Chamberlain that the government sever its relations with the newspapers accused of having forced the retirement of General Robertson. They insist that recent events have weakened the government.
The following story, dated February 20 and mailed to New York, was published in the New York Herald on Saturday, March 9,1918.
German Pen Picture of London Air Raid
[Special to the Herald]
Herald
Bureau, No. 130 Fleet Street, London, Feb. 20
The Berlin Illustrated
Gazette, which was received recently in London, contains a vivid account of a
Zeppelin raid on London. The article was very evidently written by an officer
who not only has had much experience in the air but who likewise has a literary
gift. He signs himself “Watch Officer Senior Lieutenant of Naval Reserve
Gruner,’ but this presumably is intended to mislead or conceal the real
identity of the author. The article is as follows:--
“The English coast must come into sight
any moment. Sure enough, there it is in sharp outline. Soon we shall be near
enough to recognize where we are. *** Slowly, quite slowly, we approach it.
Once in a while a cloud intervenes. But as yet all is quiet and peaceful. Now
the coast lies perpendicularly beneath us. Now, now at last, we near the goal
of our desires.
“The English are waiting for us. But we
are not disturbed. We don’t intend to be kept out. Tonight we have time. The
night is longer than in June. So on we go. Now and then a searchlight picks us
up. Now and then a shot flares up at us. *** But, notwithstanding, there it
is—quite plainly—our goal. *** London, thou city of my dreams *** Thou witching
cause of my sleepless nights! A brilliant wreath of searchlights betokens the
prize from afar.
Searchlights Stab the Darkness
“The captain consults his map and compass,
and then commands ‘Cross London from north to south and then veer to the east.’
*** Beneath us we can see and hear that our presence is detected. We discern
masked light. Others burst forth and go out. They are the muzzle flashes of the
anti-aircraft guns. Searchlights stab the sky, first slowly, carefully,
anxiously, then wildly, from this, then from that side. Sometimes they locate
nothing but a drifting cloud. But now, now, they have found us. Ever oftener
and more accurately the ghostly white stabs of light are directed straight at
our ship and envelop us. Suddenly it gleams bright as day in the car of the
hunted ship.
“Now shrapnel is bursting fiercely all
round us. Shells are tearing at us like birds of prey with flaming eyes. Fore
and aft, below us, above us, everywhere, they scream and roar. It is hellish,
yet beautiful. And loud above the crash of the thundering shells we hear the
deep bass of our faithful bombs—bum—bum—and always the orchestra accompaniment
to the concert supplied by our whirring propellers.
Train of Wreckage in London
“But we are doing things in London, too.
There, on our starboard, is a mighty cave-in; and there, to port, another. In
their proximity, where a fourth bomb has dropped, there is a whole series of
explosions. Heavens! But we’re letting them have it this time! There is Comrade
L----- at work. He has peppered London before. Only tonight he is less excited.
“But things are now getting hot for us.
Away from this inhospitable neighborhood! A caressing west wind is at our back,
and amid protecting clouds we start on our return journey to the coast. Here
another, still heavier but equally futile, bombardment awaits us. We’ve been so
busy that nobody has had time to remember that our visit to England tonight has
been in freezing cold. Our artificial breathing apparatus is almost glued to
our lips by the Arctic frost. But it’s warmer now. Gradually our lungs and
nerves resume their normal functions. Home coasts beckon to us, and before we
know it we’re safe again and landing on friendly soil.”
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