Government.  I am sure he saw the obvious inference.  But not even from him came a word about the moral foundation of government or about the welfare of the Mexican people.  These are not in the European governing vocabulary.

I have been trying to find a way to help this Government to wake up to the effect of its pro-Huerta position and to give them a chance to refrain from repeating that mistake—­and to save their faces; and I have telegraphed one plan to Mr. Bryan to-day.  I think they ought now to be forced to show their hand without the possibility of evasion.  They will not risk losing our good-will—­if it seem wise to you to put them to a square test.

     It’s a wretched business, and the sordid level of European
     statecraft is sad.

     I ran across the Prime Minister at the royal wedding reception[34]
     the other day.

     “What do you infer from the latest news from Mexico?” he asked.

     “Several things.”

     “Tell me the most important inference you draw.”

     “Well, the danger of prematurely making up one’s mind about a
     Mexican adventurer.”

     “Ah!” and he moved on.

     Very heartily yours,
     WALTER H. PAGE.

     To the President

     London, Sunday, Nov. 16, 1913.

. . .  About the obligations and inferences of democracy, they are dense.  They don’t really believe in it; and they are slow to see what good will come of ousting Huerta unless we know beforehand who will succeed him.  Sir Edward Grey is not dense, but in this matter even he is slow fully to understand.  The Lord knows I’ve told him plainly over and over again and, I fear, even preached to him.  At first he couldn’t see the practical nature of so “idealistic” a programme.  I explained to him how the immemorial “policy” that we all followed of recognizing momentarily successful adventurers in Latin-America had put a premium on revolution; that you had found something better than a policy, namely, a principle; that policies change, but principles do not; that he need not he greatly concerned about the successor to Huerta; that this is primarily and ultimately an American problem; that Great Britain’s interest being only commercial is far less than the interest of the United States, which is commercial and also ethical; and so on and so on.  His sympathies and his friendliness are all right.  But Egypt and India were in his mind.  He confessed to me that he was much impressed—­“if you can carry it through.”  Many men are seeing the new idea (I wonder if you are conscious how new it is and how incredible to the Old World mind?) and they express the greatest and sincerest admiration for “your brave new President”; and a wave of friendliness to the United States swept over the Kingdom when the Government took its open stand.  At the annual dinner of the oldest and richest of the merchants’ guilds at which