considerable discussion in the press and many schemes were proposed and
pamphlets written on the subject. To organize such an association became
a generally recognized object to be attained in the negotiation of the
peace which would end the World War; and there can be no doubt that the
President believed more and more in the vital necessity of forming an
effective organization of the nations to preserve peace in the future
and make another great war impossible.

The idea of being present and taking an active part in formulating the
terms of peace had, in my opinion, never been abandoned by President
Wilson, although it had remained dormant while the result of the
conflict was uncertain. When, however, in early October, 1918, there
could no longer be any doubt that the end of the war was approaching,
the President appears to have revived the idea and to have decided, if
possible, to carry out the purpose which he had so long cherished. He
seemed to have failed to appreciate, or, if he did appreciate, to have
ignored the fact that the conditions were wholly different in October,
1918, from what they were in December, 1916.

In December, 1916, the United States was a neutral nation, and the
President, in a spirit of mutual friendliness, which was real and not
assumed, was seeking to bring the warring powers together in conference
looking toward the negotiation of "a peace without victory." In the
event that he was able to persuade them to meet, his presence at the
conference as a pacificator and probably as the presiding officer would
not improbably have been in the interests of peace, because, as the
executive head of the greatest of the neutral nations of the world and
as the impartial friend of both parties, his personal influence would
presumably have been very great in preventing a rupture in the
negotiations and in inducing the parties to act in a spirit of