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

284 INTIMATE PAPERS OF COLONEL HOUSE

Entente elements, especially on the Atlantic seaboard, but
at the moment, as Colonel House indicates, general articulate
opinion seemed to approve it heartily. Wilson based the
appeal, not upon indifference to the war, but upon the danger
that might arise for the United States if factions should take
form supporting the one or the other of the belligerent
groups.
'It will be easy to excite passion [said the President], and
difficult to allay it. Those responsible for exciting it will
assume a heavy responsibility, responsibility for no less a
thing than that the people of the United States, whose love
of their country and whose loyalty to its Government should
unite them as Americans all, bound in honor to think first of
her and her interests, may be divided in camps of hostile
opinion, hot against each other, involved in the war itself in
impulse and opinion if not in action.... Every man who
really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of
neutrality, which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness
and friendliness to all concerned.'
Colonel House to the President
PRIDE'S CROSSING, MASSACHUSETTS
August 22, 1914
DEAR GOVERNOR:
Thinking that I might see you soon has caused me to hope
that I might tell you in person of how splendidly I think you
are meeting the difficult situations that come to you day by
day.
Your Address on Neutrality is one of the finest things you
have ever done, and it has met with universal approbation.
Every day editorials of the Republican press speak of you as
if you were of their party instead of being the idol of ours.
The food investigation, the shipping bill, the war risk
insurance bill, and everything else that you are doing give