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

426 INTIMATE PAPERS OF COLONEL HOUSE

Colonel House to the President
LONDON, April 30, 1915
DEAR GOVERNOR:
I arrived here Wednesday night. I have already had two
conferences with Sir Edward Grey, and I am to have the
first formal one with him, by appointment through Page, this
afternoon at five o'clock.
Of course no one but you is to know of the other two conferences.
I have outlined to him the full plan of the Freedom of the
Seas and how best it can be brought to Berlin's attention and
what concessions they must give in return. I shall not let
them know how receptive he is to the idea, but shall try to
impress upon them how hard we are working to accomplish the desired end and give them little driblets of hope
from time to time. The thing thus is held within our
hands.
Sir Edward tells me that public opinion here will have to
be educated in this direction, particularly the Conservatives,
and I shall endeavor to do this....
We will have to keep this programme absolutely confidential between yourself, Sir Edward, and myself; and even
the men I shall discuss these things with, will not know our
full purposes....
I told Sir Edward I felt sure that the Berlin Government
wanted peace and that they were deterred mainly by German
public opinion, which will have to be educated to the making
of concessions....
Your affectionate
E. M. HOUSE
Even as early as this, the historian will observe, House had
begun to make plans for the Peace Conference, for he believed in being prepared. A note which he made after this
conversation with Grey throws light on what the Colonel