“The President said,” wrote Page immediately after coming from Shadow Lawn, “Tell those gentlemen for me’—­and then followed a homily to the effect that a damage done to any American citizen is a damage to him, etc.  He described the war as a result of many causes, some of long origin.  He spoke of England’s having the earth and of Germany wanting it.  Of course, he said, the German system is directly opposed to everything American.  But I do not gather that he thought that this carried any very great moral reprehensibility.

“He said that he wouldn’t do anything with the retaliatory act till after election lest it might seem that he was playing politics.  But he hinted that if there were continued provocation afterward (in case he were elected) he would.  He added that one of the worst provocations was the long English delay in answering our Notes.  Was this delay due to fear or shame?  He evidently felt that such a delay showed contempt.  He spoke of the Bryan treaty[48].  But on no question had the British ‘locked horns’ with us—­on no question had they come to a clear issue so that the matter might be referred to the Commission.”

Page delivered his oral message about the German determination to obtain an armistice.  This was to the effect that Great Britain would not grant it.  Page intimated that Britain would be offended if the President proposed it.

“If an armistice, no,” answered Mr. Wilson.  “That’s a military matter and is none of my business.  But if they propose an armistice looking toward peace—­yes, I shall be glad.”

The experience was an exceedingly trying one for both men.  The discussion showed how far apart were the President and his Ambassador on practically every issue connected with the crisis.  Naturally the President’s reference to the causes of the war—­that there were many causes, some of them of long persistence, and that Great Britain’s domination of the “earth” was one of them—­conflicted with the judgment of a man who attributed the origin of the struggle to German aggression.  The President’s statement that American sympathy for the Allies had now changed to irritation, and the tolerant attitude toward Germany which Mr. Wilson displayed, affected Page with the profoundest discouragement.  The President’s intimation that he would advance Germany’s request for an armistice, if it looked toward peace—­this in reply to Page’s message that Great Britain would not receive such a proposal in a kindly spirit—­seemed to lay the basis of further misunderstandings.  The interview was a disheartening one for Page.  Many people whom the Ambassador met in the course of this visit still retain memories of his fervour in what had now become with him a sacred cause.  With many friends and officials he discussed the European situation almost like a man inspired.  The present writer recalls two long conversations with Page at this time:  the recollection of his brilliant verbal portraiture, his description of the determination