Mr. Straus, whenever he met him in later years, how pleasantly he remembered his hospitality.  With Sir Cecil Spring Rice, the British Ambassador, and M. Jules Jusserand, the French Ambassador, Mr. Straus had also become friendly in Constantinople and in Washington.  This background, and Mr. Straus’s well-known pro-British sentiments, would have made him a desirable man to act as a liaison agent between the Germans and the Allies, but there were other reasons why this ex-ambassador would be useful at this time.  Mr. Straus had been in Europe at the outbreak of the war; he had come into contact with the British statesmen in those exciting early August days; in particular he had discussed all phases of the conflict with Sir Edward Grey, and before leaving England, he had given certain interviews which the British statesmen declared had greatly helped their cause in the United States.  Of course, the German Government knew all about these activities.

On September 4th, Mr. Straus arrived at New York on the Mauretania.  He had hardly reached this country when he was called upon the telephone by Mr. Speyer, a friend of many years’ standing.  Count Bernstorff, the German Ambassador, Mr. Speyer said, was a guest at his country home, Waldheim, at Scarboro, on the Hudson; Mr. Speyer was giving a small, informal dinner the next evening, Saturday, September 5th, and he asked Mr. and Mrs. Straus to come.  The other important guests were Mr. Frank A. Vanderlip, president of the National City Bank, and Mrs. Vanderlip.  Mr. Straus accepted the invitation, mentally resolving that he would not discuss the war himself, but merely listen.  It would certainly have been a difficult task for any man to avoid this subject on this particular evening; the date was September 5th, the day when the German Army suddenly stopped in its progress toward Paris, and began retreating, the French and the British forces in pursuit.  A few minutes before Count Bernstorff sat down at Mr. Speyer’s table, with Mr. Straus opposite, he had learned that the magnificent enterprise which Germany had planned for forty years had failed, and that his country was facing a monstrous disaster.  The Battle of the Marne was raging in all its fury while this pacific conversation at Mr. Speyer’s house was taking place.

Of course the war became the immediate topic of discussion.  Count Bernstorff at once plunged into the usual German point of view—­that Germany did not want war in the first place, that the Entente had forced the issue, and the like.

“The Emperor and the German Government stood for peace,” he said.

Naturally, a man who had spent a considerable part of his life promoting the peace cause pricked up his ears at this statement.

“Does that sentiment still prevail in Germany?” asked Mr. Straus.

“Yes,” replied the German Ambassador.

“Would your government entertain a proposal for mediation now?” asked Mr. Straus.