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

434 INTIMATE PAPERS OF COLONEL HOUSE

I believe an immediate demand should be made upon
Germany for assurance that this shall not occur again. If
she fails to give such assurance, I should inform her that our
Government expected to take such measures as were necessary to ensure the safety of American citizens.
If war follows, it will not be a new war, but an endeavor to
end more speedily an old one. Our intervention will save,
rather than increase, the loss of life.
America has come to the parting of the ways, when she
must determine whether she stands for civilized or uncivilized warfare. We can no longer remain neutral spectators.
Our action in this crisis will determine the part we will play
when peace is made, and how far we may influence a settlement for the lasting good of humanity. We are being
weighed in the balance, and our position amongst nations is
being assessed by mankind.
EDWARD HOUSE
LONDON, May 11, 1915
DEAR GOVERNOR:... I cannot see any way out unless Germany promises to
cease her policy of making war upon non-combatants. If you
do not call her to account over the loss of American lives
caused by the sinking of the Lusitania, her next act will
probably be the sinking of an American liner, giving as an
excuse that she carried munitions of war and that we had
been warned not to send ships into the danger zone.
The question must be determined either now or later, and
it seems to me that you would lose prestige by deferring it.
Germany has one of two things in mind. She may believe
that we will not go to war under any provocation; or that
we will be impotent if we do and she desires us to enter. The
first is more understandable than the second, although she
probably thinks if we became involved we would stop the
shipment of munitions in order to equip ourselves.