The dates of this discussion, it will be observed, almost corresponded with the period covered by the Tyrrell visit to America.  This fact, and Page’s letters of this period, had apparently implanted in Colonel House’s mind an ambition for definite action.  He now proposed that President Wilson should take up the broken threads of the rapprochement and attempt to bring them together again.  From this, as will be made plain, the plan developed into something more comprehensive.  Page’s ideas on the treatment of backward nations had strongly impressed both the President and Colonel House.  The discussion on Mexico which had just taken place between the American and the British Governments seemed to have developed ideas that could have a much wider application.  The fundamental difficulties in Mexico were not peculiar to that country nor indeed to Latin-America.  Perhaps the most prolific cause of war among the more enlightened countries was that produced by the jealousies and antagonisms which were developed by their contacts with unprogressive peoples—­in the Balkans, the Ottoman Empire, Asia, and the Far East.  The method of dealing with such peoples, which the United States had found so successful in Cuba and the Philippines, had proved that there was just one honourable way of dealing with the less fortunate and more primitive races in all parts of the world.  Was it not possible to bring the greatest nations, especially the United States, Great Britain, and Germany, to some agreement on this question, as well as on the question of disarmament?  This once accomplished, the way could be prepared for joint action on the numerous other problems which were then threatening the peace of the world.  The League of Nations was then not even a phrase, but the plan that was forming in Colonel House’s mind was at least some scheme for permanent international cooeperation.  For several years Germany had been the nation which had proved the greatest obstacle to such international friendliness and arbitration.  The Kaiser had destroyed both Hague Conferences as influential forces in the remaking of the world; and in the autumn of 1913 he had taken on a more belligerent attitude than ever.  If this attempt to establish a better condition of things was to succeed, Germany’s cooeperation would be indispensable.  This is the reason why Colonel House proposed first of all to visit Berlin.

From Edward M. House 145 East 35th Street, New York City.  January 4th, 1914.

     Dear Page: 

. . .  Benj.  Ide Wheeler[55] took lunch with me the other day.  He is just back from Germany and he is on the most intimate terms with the Kaiser.  He tells me he often takes dinner with the family alone, and spends the evening with them.

     I know, now, the different Cabinet officials who have the Kaiser’s
     confidence and I know his attitude toward England, naval armaments,
     war, and world politics in general.