VI

AMERICA AND THE ALLIES

"It is a great error and a narrowness of the mind to think that nations have nothing to do one with another except there be either an union in sovereignty or a conjunction in pacts or leagues; there are other bands of society and implicit confederations."

-LORD BACON.

VI

AMERICA AND THE ALLIES

[The author, at the invitation of the Pilgrims' Society of London, went to England in the summer of 1916, and, on July 5th, addressed at a luncheon, given to him in London, a distinguished gathering of English public men of all classes. Viscount Bryce presided, and his speech, in proposing the author's health, conveyed to the American people a very significant message as to the attitude of England. This speech is printed in the Appendix.

The author's reply was intended to be an explanation of the attitude of the American people.]

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN:

Let me in the first place say to Viscount Bryce that I shall carry back the message, with which he has done me the honour to entrust me, and it will receive a very ready response among the thoughtful people of my country, for I am persuaded that the best thought of America is that it would be a world-wide calamity if this war did not end with a conclusive victory for the principles so nobly defended by the Allies. I will also carry back

the possibly unnecessary message that this war is not going to be a draw. I was in this country in the first month of the war, and England then reminded me of a great St. Bernard dog, which in a spirit of noblesse oblige complacently wagged its tail when attacked by a powerful adversary. Today England seems to me like a bull-dog with the business end of his jaws firmly set in his assailant's throat.

Let me further say, by way of introduction, that I also accept with great hesitation the magnificent compliment which the author of The American Commonwealth has been pleased to pay me. I know full well that in the generous appreciation, which you have shown me, and which he has confirmed by his gracious reference to the little I have done, your friendly attitude exaggerates any service that I was privileged to render to your cause, and yet I shall not blunt the fine edge of the compliment by too vigorous a disclaimer. Lord Bryce's name in my country carries immense weight, possibly more so than any other publicist of any nation. When he speaks, whether in printed page or oral speech, we are accustomed to accept it as almost ex cathedra, and I therefore feel in view of what he has said about my contribution to the controversial history of the war, very

much as Dr. Johnson did when he visited King George III. and His Majesty was pleased to make some very complimentary remarks about the Fleet Street philosopher's dictionary. When Dr. Johnson returned to the ever faithful Boswell, and told him with natural gratification what His Majesty had said, Boswell said: "What did you say when the King praised your dictionary?" Dr. Johnson replied: "Am I a man to bandy words with my Sovereign? If His Majesty says that my dictionary is the best in the English language, it must be so." Similarly I shall accept, not without great misgivings, Lord Bryce's gracious introduction and the generous references which he has made to The Evidence in the Case.

I have crossed the ocean to bring to you a message of good will from the American Pilgrims, and because you are all busy men I wish to speak as briefly and rapidly as possible. I have not any prepared speech. This is not the time for didactic essays or ornate orations. In these dreadful days —to use the fine phrase of Tom Paine, "the times that try men's souls"-the only thing that is valuable in speech is sincerity, and it is in that spirit I wish to speak to you about the one topic of which you may wish to hear me: namely, the relations of the United States to this war and to the Allies.