h well knew that
the submarine warfare was to be resumed, and British finances were also
in a desperate plight. More and more it was becoming evident to the
British statesmen that they needed the intervention of the United
States. This is the reason why they could not destroy the chances of
American help by taking official offense even at what Page, in a
communication to the Secretary of State, did not hesitate to call
President Wilson's "insulting words"; and hence their determination to
silence the press and to give no outward expression of what they felt.
Page's interview with Lord Robert Cecil on December 26th, while the
Presidential communication was lying on his desk, discloses the real
emotions of Englishmen. Apparently Page's frank cables concerning the
reception of this paragraph had caused a certain interest in the State
Department; at least the Ambassador was instructed to call at the
Foreign Office and explain that the interpretation which had been
commonly put upon the President's words was not the one which he had
intended. At the same time Page was instructed to request the British
Foreign Office, in case its reply were "favourable," not to publish it,
but to communicate it secretly to the American Government. The purpose
of this request is a little obscure; possibly it was the President's
plan to use such a favourable reply to force Germany likewise to display
an acquiescent mood. The object of Page's call was to present this
disclaimer.

Lord Robert Cecil, the son of the late Lord Salisbury,--that same Lord
Salisbury whose combats with Secretary Blaine and Secretary Olney form
piquant chapters in British-American history--is one of the most able
and respected of British statesmen. In his earlier life Lord Salisbury
had been somewhat overbearing in his attitude toward the United States;
in his later years, however, perhaps owing to the influence of his
nephew, Mr. Balfour, his manner had changed. In his attitude toward the
United States Lord Robert Cecil reflected only the later phases of his
father's career. To this country and to its peaceful ideals he had
always been extremely sympathetic, and to Page especially he had never
manifested anything but cordiality. Yet it was evident, as Page came
into his office this morning, that to Lord Robert, as to every member of
the Government, the President's note, with its equivocal phrases, had
been a terrible shock. His manner was extremely courteous, as always,