sake—­the tightest sort of an alliance, offensive and defensive, between all Britain, colonies and all, and the United States—­what would happen?  Anything we’d say would go, whether we should say, “Come in out of the wet,” or, “Disarm.”  That might be the beginning of a real world-alliance and union to accomplish certain large results—­disarmament, for instance, or arbitration—­dozens of good things.

Of course, we’d have to draw and quarter the O’Gormans[56].  But that ought to be done anyhow in the general interest of good sense in the world.  We could force any nation into this “trust” that we wanted in it.

     Isn’t it time we tackled such a job frankly, fighting out the Irish
     problem once for all, and having done with it?

     I’m not proposing a programme.  I’m only thinking out loud.  I see
     little hope of doing anything so long as we choose to be ruled by
     an obsolete remark made by George Washington.

     W.H.P.

     January H, 1914.

. . .  But this armament flurry is worth serious thought.  Lloyd George gave out an interview, seeming to imply the necessity of reducing the navy programme.  The French allies of the British went up in the air!  They raised a great howl.  Churchill went to see them, to soothe them.  They would not be soothed.  Now the Prime Minister is going to Paris—­ostensibly to see his daughter off to the Riviera.  Nobody believes that reason.  They say he’s going to smooth out the French.  Meantime the Germans are gleeful.

And the British Navy League is receiving money and encouraging letters from British subjects, praying greater activity to keep the navy up.  You touch the navy and you touch the quick—­that’s the lesson.  It’s an enormous excitement that this small incident has caused.

     W.H.P.

     To Edward M. House
     London, February 24, 1914.

     My Dear House: 

You’ll be interested in these pamphlets by Sir Max Waechter, who has opened an office here and is spending much money to “federate” Europe, and to bring a lessening of armaments.  I enclose also an article about him from the Daily Telegraph, which tells how he has interviewed most of the Old World monarchs.  Get also, immediately, the new two-volume life of Lord Lyons, Minister to the United States during the Civil War, and subsequently Ambassador to France.  You will find an interesting account of the campaign of about 1870 to reduce armaments, when old Bismarck dumped the whole basket of apples by marching against France.  You know I sometimes fear some sort of repetition of that experience.  Some government (probably Germany) will see bankruptcy staring it in the face and the easiest way out will seem a great war.  Bankruptcy before a war would be ignominious; after a war, it could be charged to “Glory.”  It’ll take a long time to bankrupt England.  It’s