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

DIFFICULTIES OF SIR EDWARD GREY 461

in his paper, and will try to influence the Government in the
direction we desire... '
IV
Colonel House to the President
LONDON, May 7, 1915
DEAR GOVERNOR:
Your cablegram concerning the delaying of cargoes came
to me yesterday. I already had an engagement with Sir
Edward Grey this morning, so I did not make an earlier
appointment.
I read him your message and told him that in my opinion
the situation was critical and that it would not do to temporize with the matter; that the Germans were doing everything possible to embarrass you and to force you to place an
embargo upon arms.
He said he understood the situation perfectly. He took a
memorandum, which he read to me afterwards and which
was to be sent to each member of the Cabinet in the form of
a communication. He put it strongly and urgently, and he
told me he would do all that was possible.
He said he had to contend with public sentiment here
that demanded a complete blockade of Germany. I think,
too, he has opposition in the Cabinet with Kitchener and
Winston Churchill....
Sir Edward wants to do everything that is possible, and
he desired me to let you know that he had great difficulties
here to contend with....
I have seen a great many people since I last wrote you,
among them the Russian Ambassador. I found him a very
able man, but as ignorant of your purposes as the people of
France....
When I came over here it was practically the universal
opinion in France and England and, I find now, in Russia
also, that you were inclined to be pro-German even though