I mentioned my surprise at the great length of the French line—more than four hundred miles.
"You do not know that in America?" he asked, evidently surprised.
I warned him at once not to judge the knowledge of America by what I myself knew, that no doubt many quite understood the situation.
"But you have been very modest," I said. "We really have had little information about the French Army and what it is doing, unless more news is going over since I left."
"We are more modest than the Germans, then?"
"You are, indeed. There are several millions of German-born Americans who are not likely to let America forget the Fatherland. There are many German newspapers also."
"What is the percentage of German population?"
I told him. I think I was wrong. I think I made it too great. But I had not expected to be interviewed.
"And these German newspapers, are they neutral?"
"Not at all. Very far from it."