“Every nation in Europe,” he said, “has its bayonets pointed at Germany.  But—­“—­and with this he gave a proud and smiling glance at the glistening representatives of his army gathered on this brilliant occasion—­“we are ready!”

Colonel house left Berlin, not particularly hopeful; the Kaiser impressed him as a man of unstable nervous organization—­as one who was just hovering on the borderland of insanity.  Certainly, this was no man to be entrusted with such powers as the American had witnessed that day at Potsdam.  Dangerous as the Kaiser was, however, he did not seem to Colonel House to be as great a menace to mankind as were his military advisers.  The American came away from Berlin with the conviction that the most powerful force in Germany was the militaristic clique, and second, the Hohenzollern dynasty.  He has always insisted that this represented the real precedence in power.  So long as the Kaiser was obedient to the will of militarism, so long could he maintain his standing.  He was confident, however, that the militaristic oligarchy was determined to have its will, and would dethrone the Kaiser the moment he showed indications of taking a course that would lead to peace.  Colonel House was also convinced that this militaristic oligarchy was determined on war.  The coolness with which it listened to his proposals, the attempts it made to keep him from seeing the Kaiser alone, its repeated efforts to break up the conversation after it had begun, all pointed to the inevitable tragedy.  The fact that the Kaiser expressed a wish to discuss the matter again, after Colonel House had sounded London, was the one hopeful feature of an otherwise discouraging experience, and accounts for the tone of faint optimism in his letters describing the visit.

     From Edward M. House

     Embassy of the United States of America,
     Berlin,

     May 28, 1914.

     Dear Page: 

. . .  I have done something here already—­not much, but enough to open negotiations with London.  I lunch with the Kaiser on Monday.  I was advised to avoid Admiral von Tirpitz as being very unsympathetic.  However, I went directly at him and had a most interesting talk.  He is a forceful fellow.  Von Jagow is pleasant but not forceful.  I have had a long talk with him.  The Chancellor’s wife died last week so I have not got in touch with him.  I will write you more fully from Paris.  My address there will be Hotel Ritz.

     Hastily,

     E.M.H.

     From Edward M. House

     Hotel Ritz, 15, Place Vendome, Paris.

     June 3, 1914.

     Dear Page: 

I had a satisfactory talk with the Kaiser on Monday.  I have now seen everyone worthwhile in Germany except the Chancellor.  I am ready now for London.  Perhaps you had better prepare the way.  The Kaiser knows I am to see them, and I have arranged to keep him in touch with results—­if there are any.  We must work quickly after I arrive, for it may be advisable for me to return to Germany, and I am counting on sailing for home July 15th or 28th. . . .  I am eager to see you and tell you what I know.

     Yours,