that was his particular province. One of an Ambassador's most important
duties is to transmit to his country the public opinion of the country
to which he is accredited. It was Page's place to tell Washington what
Great Britain thought of it; it was Washington's business to formulate
policy, after giving due consideration to this and other matters.

_To Edward M. House_

July 21, 1915.

DEAR HOUSE:

I enclose a pamphlet in ridicule of the President. I don't know who
wrote it, for my inquiries so far have brought no real information.
I don't feel like sending it to him. I send it to you--to do with
as you think best. This thing alone is, of course, of no
consequence. But it is symptomatic. There is much feeling about the
slowness with which he acts. One hundred and twenty people
(Americans) were drowned on the _Lusitania_ and we are still
writing notes about it--to the damnedest pirates that ever blew up
a ship. Anybody who knows the Germans knows, of course, that they
are simply playing for time, that they are not going to "come
down," that Von Tirpitz is on deck, that they'd just as lief have
war with us as not--perhaps had rather--because they don't want any
large nation left fresh when the war ends. They'd like to have the
whole world bankrupt. There is a fast growing feeling here,
therefore, that the American Government is pusillanimous--dallies
with 'em, is affected by the German propaganda, etc., etc. Of
course, such a judgment is not fair. It is formed without knowing
the conditions in the United States. But I think you ought to