entacles reaching out to ports on every sea and
strait. The plan for another Hague conference failed to interest the
ruling clique at Berlin and Potsdam because they had made "other
arrangements."

Very gradually slight indications of this fact began to appear, though
they were not clearly understood at the time. It was like watching a
stage-curtain which rises very slowly a little way and then stops.
Through the crack one could see feet moving about and hear rumbling
noises. Evidently a drama was in preparation. But what it was to be
could hardly be guessed. Then, after a long wait, the curtain rose
swiftly. The tragedy was revealed. Flames burst forth from the stage and
wrapped the whole house in fire. Some of the spectators were the first
victims. The conflagration still rages. It will not be put out until the
flame-lust is smothered in the hearts of those who kindled and spread
the great fire in Europe.

III

I must get back from this expression of my present feelings and views to
the plain story of the experiences which gradually made me aware of the
actual condition of affairs in Europe and the great obstacle to a
durable peace in the world.

The first thing that disquieted me a little was the strange difficulty
encountered in making the preliminary arrangements for the third peace
conference. The final resolution of the second conference in 1907,
unanimously recommended, first, that the next conference, should be held
within a period of eight years, and second, that a preparatory committee
should be appointed two years beforehand, to consider the subjects which
were ripe for discussion, and to draw up a programme which could be
examined in advance by the countries interested. That, of course, was
necessary. No sensible government will go into a conference blindfold,
without knowing what is to be talked about.

But in 1914, when the matter came into my hands, the lapse of time and
the negligence of the nations (the United States included) had made it
too late to fulfil both of these recommendations. If one was carried out
the other must be modified or disregarded. The then Secretary of State,
Mr. Bryan, instructed me to endeavor to have the conference called in
1915, that is, within the period of eight years. After careful
investigation and earnest effort, I reported that it could not be done
at that date. The first thing was to get the preparatory committee,
which would require at least two years for it