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

LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

381

The British public and a majority of the Cabinet would
not look with any greater favor upon the only terms that
Germany would now concede, than would France and
Russia.
Since the war has begun and since they consider that Germany was the aggressor and is the exponent of militarism,
they are determined not to cease fighting until there is no
hope of victory, or until Germany is ready to concede what
they consider a fair and permanent settlement.
It is almost as important to us to have the settlement laid
upon the right foundations as it is to the nations of Europe.
If this war does not end militarism, then the future is full of
trouble for us.
If there was any reason to believe that Germany was ready
to make such terms as the Allies are ready to accept, then it
would be well to go immediately; but all our information is
to the contrary and the result of my visit there now would
be to lose the sympathetic interest which England, and
through her the Allies, now feel in your endeavors and without accomplishing any good in Germany.
You may put it down as a certainty that Germany will
only use you in the event it suits her purposes to do so; and
she will not be deterred from this if at any time she sees that
it is to her advantage to accept your good offices.
Asquith told Page yesterday that he sincerely hoped that
I would not make the mistake of going just now. That
simply means, if I do go they will probably cease to consider
you as a medium.
If Zimmermann replies to my letter, then I shall go to
Berlin and have a conference with him; but it will accomplish nothing for the moment, for he will not now go further;
and the Allies will not be willing to begin parleys upon such
a basis.
Sir Edward is extremely anxious for England to take the
highest possible grounds and not ask for anything excepting