d passed. That in the same article
of which Lord Lee had reversed the meaning, Captain Castex had made
pointed allusion "_au role de salubrite politique, sauvant la liberte du
monde, joue par la Grande Bretagne pendant la guerre_".

I told him that we were too far away to know what was happening, and
that it was more than probable that Lord Lee had already apologised;
that it was a deplorable blunder as the desire of the French to increase
their submarines was understood by the average Englishman to be a menace
against Great Britain, as presumably his country would never fight
Germany on the sea.

He said that every nation would have to maintain for itself some reserve
of force since they had agreed to a large diminution of their armies. I
begged him to be patient, and to remember that the 1918 election--so
painfully encouraging to the natural desire on the part of the French to
pursue a policy of revenge--was not a true reflection of British public
opinion; that perhaps we were lacking in imagination but we would never
believe in crushing a defeated foe, or trying to keep him down forever.
That since no one could get rid of the German race, and France had to
remain their neighbour, it appeared to be more sensible to try and
discourage hate which was unproductive; and that there was little choice
for them unless their intention was to prepare slowly and steadily for
another war. He disclaimed all idea of revenge, pointing out that we
were an island without frontiers, and that twice within the recollection
of one generation their industrious and arrogant neighbour had not only
killed their people, but laid waste their territory, and added that he
and his compatriots did not feel their moral and financial sufferings
had been treated either with sufficient sympathy or justice.

He argued extremely well, and I felt as I left him that we ought to do
everything possible to remove the suspicions, and heal the wounds, of a
country at whose side we have fought and died.

I dined that night in a company of fifty at the British Embassy and had
some talk with our Ambassador, Sir Auckland Geddes.

VI: DETROIT AND CHICAGO

DETROIT AND CHICAGO

GUEST OF WOMEN'S CLUB--VISITS FORD WORKS--LOVELY MRS.
MINOTTO--BONUS AND DISABLED SOLDIERS

The next morning we left Washington for Detroit, where I met with a warm
welcome and lectured with success. I was entertained by the Women's City
Club, at whose original invita