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

POSITION OF THE UNITED STATES

457

There is no doubt that the position you have taken with
both Germany and Great Britain is correct; but I feel that
our position with the Allies is somewhat different, for we are
bound up more or less in their success, and I do not think we
should do anything that can possibly be avoided to alienate
the good feeling that they now have for us. If we lose their
good will, we will not be able to figure at all in peace negotiations, and we will be sacrificing too much in order to maintain all our commercial rights.
The situation, I know, is most trying and difficult, and you
have acted with extraordinary patience and good judgment.
Affectionately yours
E. M. HOUSE
Colonel House had constantly impressed upon his British
friends the importance of recognizing the irritation and loss
caused in the United States by the holding-up of American
cargoes and mails. From the moment of his arrival in
February, 1915, he emphasized the fact that, even though
this was the only serious cause of friction between the two
countries, it was nevertheless one that would lead to grave
results unless eclipsed by the dispute with Germany. The
latter infringed the rights of humanity, whereas the controversy with Great Britain was of a far less vital sort. But it
touched the pockets and the sensibilities of many Americans.
Furthermore, it was impossible for the President to protest with vigor against German infractions of the law of
nations, so long as the Germans had some ground for complaint that he permitted the British to alter maritime regulations at will. Letters from the President and Cabinet members gave House a clear picture of the difficulties which they
faced in Washington. The friendly tone of the President's
message goes far to answer the criticism that the gaucherie
of American protests tended unnecessarily to embitter AngloAmerican relations.