The intimate papers of Colonel House arranged as a narrative by Charles Seymour.

110 INTIMATE PAPERS OF COLONEL HOUSE

left town; he thereupon sent him a telegram asking him to
call as soon as he returned.
Chance plays its part in history. Had Mr. Page been in
town, he would have been offered and would have accepted
the Secretaryship of the Interior, and he would not have
gone to London as Ambassador. But before his return, the
party leaders in Congress learned of the suggestion and objected strongly. Page, they pointed out, was a Southerner,
and no Southerner should be Secretary of the Interior because of his control of pensions. In view of these objections,
Wilson decided to keep Lane in the Interior and look for
another man for War. House was left to explain his telegram
to Page to the best of his ability when the latter returned.
He proved equal to the interview, which might conceivably
test his tact and powers of invention.
'February 24, 1913: Walter Page arrived in response to my
telegram. When I wired him we expected to place him in the
Interior and move Lane up to War, but in talking with the
Governor last night it was decided best not to put a Southerner in that place.
'I told Page the reason we had summoned him was because there was likely to be a slip-up in some of the Cabinet
places, and we wanted to know definitely whether he could
be used in case it was necessary. I also told him the Governor
wished me to discuss with him the material already gotten
together. He suggested, and I advised, his going at once to
Trenton to take the matter up with the Governor.'
A few weeks later, House told Page how near he had been
to becoming Secretary of the Interior, a story which excited
in Mr. Page more amusement than regret.
The final choice for the portfolio of War was delayed until the last moment. Colonel House had strongly recommended Mr. H. C. Wallace, who later became Ambassador