hemselves to changed conditions with unexpected flexibility. They
immediately relaxed their ordinary overbearing manner and assumed a
closer relationship with the private soldiers. They do not, as their
enemies report, drive their men but they themselves lead to battle.
They are idolized by the nation as a whole and by the army in
particular. They do not address the soldiers of the rank and file in
the second person singular, but in the more respectful second person
plural.

The Kaiser has already awarded thirty-eight thousand iron crosses. He
takes the ground that he is nevertheless maintaining the standard of
1870. He says that the numbers now involved are so much larger and the
demands in courage and endurance so much greater that thousands
deserve to be decorated in the present conflict where hundreds won the
honor in the Franco-Prussian war.

I lunched today with Commander Gherardi, the Naval Attache, in order
to discuss with him what we had each seen of the war on the western
front. He is making an important study of operations on the eastern
battle-lines and has several times been to the front.

Today I was told that although it was impossible to go into Belgium to
observe operations, it was probable that I would soon be sent to
Brussels with dispatches to the American Minister, Brand Whitlock.

I have recently been introduced to many very interesting Germans, both
diplomats and officers, and have obtained many valuable ideas. The
reply I receive whenever I ask Germans what they want and expect to
gain in this war, and what terms of peace they, at present, hope to
secure, is almost invariably the same. They all say: "we will never
give up Belgium; we mean to keep Poland; we would like to have Calais
and hope eventually to get it, but...." They point out that they have
so far constantly taken the offensive role, which must often fail in
modern war, being by far the more difficult part to play. They declare
with conviction that when once they take the defensive they can never
be beaten back. They cite the fact that for the last three months they
have on the Aisne in temporary positions maintained an unbroken front,
despite the persistent efforts of the Allies to drive them back. They
add that except Calais and Warsaw they now hold virtually everything
they want, and to keep it permanently they need only to stand on the
defensive.

A few weeks of victory or defeat will naturally modify their present
ambitions.