and I gave him the German automobile and chauffeur and two English servants that were left there.  He has the job well in hand now, under my and Laughlin’s supervision.  But this has brought still another new lot of diplomatic and governmental problems—­a lot of them.  Three enormous German banks in London have, of course, been closed.  Their managers pray for my aid.  Howling women come and say their innocent German husbands have been arrested as spies.  English, Germans, Americans—­everybody has daughters and wives and invalid grandmothers alone in Germany.  In God’s name, they ask, what can I do for them?  Here come stacks of letters sent under the impression that I can send them to Germany.  But the German business is already well in hand and I think that that will take little of my own time and will give little trouble.  I shall send a report about it in detail to the Department the very first day I can find time to write it.  In spite of the effort of the English Government to remain at peace with Austria, I fear I shall yet have the Austrian Embassy too.  But I can attend to it.

Now, however, comes the financial job of wisely using the $300,000 which I shall have to-morrow.  I am using Mr. Chandler Anderson as counsel, of course.  I have appointed a Committee—­Skinner, the Consul-General, Lieut.-Commander McCrary of our Navy, Kent of the Bankers Trust Company, New York, and one other man yet to be chosen—­to advise, after investigation, about every proposed expenditure.  Anderson has been at work all day to-day drawing up proper forms, etc., to fit the Department’s very excellent instructions.  I have the feeling that more of that money may be wisely spent in helping to get people off the continent (except in France, where they seem admirably to be managing it, under Herrick) than is immediately needed in England.  All this merely to show you the diversity and multiplicity of the job.

I am having a card catalogue, each containing a sort of who’s who, of all Americans in Europe of whom we hear.  This will be ready by the time the Tennessee[62] comes.  Fifty or more stranded Americans—­men and women—­are doing this work free.

     I have a member of Congress[63] in the general reception room of
     the Embassy answering people’s questions—­three other volunteers as
     well.

We had a world of confusion for two or three days.  But all this work is now well organized and it can be continued without confusion or cross purposes.  I meet committees and lay plans and read and write telegrams from the time I wake till I go to bed.  But, since it is now all in order, it is easy.  Of course I am running up the expenses of the Embassy—­there is no help for that; but the bill will be really exceedingly small because of the volunteer work—­for awhile.  I have not and shall not consider the expense of whatever it seems absolutely necessary to do—­of other things I shall always