the matter of tolls and a renewal of the arbitration treaties, and I am not without hope that I can accomplish both at this session.  Indeed this is the session in which these things must be done if they are to be done at all.

Back of the smile which came to my face when you spoke of the impenetrable silence of the State Department toward its foreign representatives lay thoughts of very serious concern.  We must certainly manage to keep our foreign representatives properly informed.  The real trouble is to conduct genuinely confidential correspondence except through private letters, but surely the thing can be changed and it will be if I can manage it.

     We are deeply indebted to you for your kindness and generous
     hospitality to our young folks[40] and we have learned with delight
     through your letters and theirs of their happy days in England.

     With deep regard and appreciation,

     Cordially and faithfully yours,

     WOODROW WILSON.

     HON.  WALTER H. PAGE,

     American Embassy,

     London, England.

Yet for the American Ambassador the experience was not one of unmixed satisfaction.  These letters have contained references to the demoralized condition of the State Department under Mr. Bryan and the succeeding ones will contain more; the Carden episode portrayed the stupidity and ignorance of that Department at their worst.  By commanding Carden to cease his anti-American tactics and to support the American policy the Foreign Office had performed an act of the utmost courtesy and consideration to this country.  By quietly “promoting” the same minister to another sphere, several thousand miles away from Mexico and Washington, it was now preparing to eliminate all possible causes of friction between the two countries.  The British, that is, had met the wishes of the United States in the two great matters that were then making serious trouble—­Huerta and Carden.  Yet no government, Great Britain least of all, wishes to be placed in the position of moving its diplomats about at the request of another Power.  The whole deplorable story appears in the following letter.

     To Edward M. House

     January 8th, 1914.

     MY DEAR HOUSE: 

Two days ago I sent a telegram to the Department saying that I had information from a private, unofficial source that the report that Carden would be transferred was true, and from another source that Marling would succeed him.  The Government here has given out nothing.  I know nothing from official sources.  Of course the only decent thing to do at Washington was to sit still till this Government should see fit to make an announcement.  But what do they do?  Give my telegram to the press!  It appears here almost verbatim in this morning’s Mail.—­I have to make an humiliating explanation to the Foreign Office.  This is