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

344 INTIMATE PAPERS OF COLONEL HOUSE

might be secured from the chiefs of government; and House
could at least help to appease the anti-American sentiment
that was becoming apparent in all the belligerent nations.
He was confirmed in this feeling by messages from Gerard
and Sir Edward Grey.
Ambassador Gerard to Colonel House
BERLIN, December 29, 1914
MY DEAR COLONEL:
Thanks for the 'tip' about the German ladies (American-born) who write home about this Embassyl One is
doubtless a Frau von, who threatened me (and in
writing) that she would complain to the President because we
would not accept her invitation to dinner or invite her here.
As a matter of fact, we declined her invitations because we
were tired, and would have invited her here in time were it
not for her extraordinary outburst; and now, of course, we
cannot be sand-bagged or black-jacked or blackmailed into
inviting any one - and, anyway, the 'hand of Douglas is
his own....
Prospects of peace seem very dim. But in about three
months more, the plain people in every land are going to be
very sick of the business and then, unless one side has some
startling success (which all hope for in the spring), Peace will
come, grudgingly, slowly; and we hope to see you here in the
role of the Angel thereof.
The Germans are a little irritated just now at our sale of
munitions to the Allies. Also because of an extraordinary
order that 'American Ambassador shall not inspect or visit
prisons, camps, etc.,' issued by State Department; and they
naturally feel that we cannot protect their interests i
1 House had warned Gerard, as he had Page, to be careful not to express unneutral feeling. Complaints had come to Washington that the
American Embassy in Berlin was anti-German. It is interesting to compare Gerard's placid reception of the warning with Mr. Page's reaction as
related in the preceding chapter.