anything else, and I was anxious for America to play her rightful part 

 in the struggle, especially after the sinking of the Lusitania. Yet I had 

 my reserves; so long as Russia was one of the Allies, I could not but feel 

 a hesitation about joining them. I remember saying to a friend: "I only 

 hope that the time may not come, when we shall be calling on Germany 

 to help us against Russia." Nevertheless and in spite of everything, I 

 wanted to get into the war against Prussianism. 



My Brother was made Brigadier General and Chief of Staff in the 

 autumn of 1914 and for the three following years, 1915-1917, 1 visited him 

 at Fort Myer, on the Virginia side of the river, attending the spring 

 meeting of the National Academy. At these times, I always had an 

 appointment at the White House and half-an-hour's talk with the 

 President. For the most part we avoided public affairs and had personal 

 chats, which I greatly enjoyed and thought that he did also. It was a 

 real relief to him to talk with some one whom he knew to be a sincere 

 friend and admirer and who wanted nothing that he had to give and 

 never asked for any favours. He loved a good story and enjoyed tell- 

 ing one, especially if it displayed the negro gift of picturesque repartee. 



On one such occasion, I said to him: "Some day I am coming here 

 to give a public lecture on Congress, into the history of which I have 

 been making inquiries. I find that from the time of President Wash- 

 ington to that of President Wilson, Congress has never been anything 

 but a herd of wild asses." Much to my surprise, he made no effort to 

 combat this conclusion, nor did he even laugh at it. Accepting it gravely, 

 he said : "The trouble is that our system makes no provision for leader- 

 ship." The following year, I told him of my rule never to quote Mr. 

 Cleveland and added: "I have followed the same rule with regard to 

 you, but have made an exception of what you said to me as to the lack 

 of leadership in Congress. I hope you don't object." "Not at all," he an- 

 swered, "on the contrary, I should Uke to have that spread as widely 

 as possible." 



Hanging in the President's office was a large map of the Western 

 Front, with coloured lines to indicate the trenches of the various bel- 

 ligerents. Mr. Wilson was much impressed with the fixity of those lines 

 which, after nearly two years of incessant fighting, showed hardly any 

 change of position. Save in this objective and colourless fashion, he never 

 mentioned the War to me, until we were in it ourselves. Then his neu- 

 trality disappeared very completely, giving way to an inexorable deter- 

 mination to put an end to the Prussian menace. How thoroughly that 

 determination was carried out, needs no retelling of mine. 



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