, May 21, 1915._

Last night the Italian Parliament voted to give the Government
war-powers; and this means immediate war on the side of the Allies.
There are now eight nations fighting against Germany, Austria, and
Turkey; viz., Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, Belgium,
Serbia, Montenegro. And it looks much as if the United States will be
forced in by Germany.

The British Government is wrestling with a very grave internal
disruption--to make a Coalition Government. The only portfolios that
seem absolutely secure are the Prime Minister's and the Foreign
Secretary's (Sir Edward Grey's)--for which latter, many thanks. The
two-fold trouble is--(1) a difference between Churchill (First Lord of
the Admiralty) and Lord Fisher--about the Dardanelles campaign and (I
dare say) other things, and (2) Lord Kitchener's failure to secure
ammunition--"to organize the industries of the Kingdom." Some even
declare K. of K. (they now say Kitchener of Kaos) is a general colossal
failure. But the prevailing opinion is that his raising of the new army
has been good work but that he has failed with the task of procuring
munitions. As for Churchill, he's too restless and erratic and
dictatorial and fussy and he runs about too much. I talked with him at
dinner last night at his mother's. He slips far down in his chair and
swears and be-dams and by-Gods his assertions. But his energy does
interest one. An impromptu meeting in the Stock Exchange to-day voted
confidence in K. of K. and burned up a copy of the _Daily Mail_, which
this morning had a severe editorial about him.

Washington, having sent a severe note to Germany, is now upbraided for
not sending another to England, to match and pair it. That's largely
German influence, but also the Chicago packers and the cotton men. These
latter have easy grievances, like the Irish. The delays of the British
Government are exasperating, but they are really not so bad now as they
have been. Still, the President can be influenced by the criticism that
he must hit one side every time he hits the other, else he's not
neutral! I am working by every device to help the situation and to
prevent another note. I proposed to-day to Sir Edward Grey that his
Government make an immediate advance payment on the cotton that it
proposes to buy.

Unless Joffre be a man of genius--of which there are some
indications--and unless French also possibly have some claim to this
distinction and _perhaps_ the