was: An English flying man's machine
got out of order and he had to descend in German territory. The
Germans captured him and his machine. They ordered him to take two
of their flying men in his machine to show them a particular place
in the English lines. He declined. "Very well, we'll shoot you,
then." At last he consented. The three started. The Englishman
quietly strapped himself in. There were no straps for the two
Germans. The Englishman looped-the-loop. The Germans fell out. The
Englishman flew back home. "My son has been to see me from France.
He told me that. He knows the man"--thus said the old lady and
thanked me for coming to hear it! She didn't know that the story
has been printed.

But the real question is, "How are you?" Do you keep strong? Able,
without weariness, to keep up your good work? I heartily hope so,
old man. Take good care of yourself--very.

My love to Mrs. Alderman. Please don't quote me--yet. I have to be
very silent publicly about everything. After March 4th, I shall
again be free.

Yours always faithfully,

W.H.P.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 33: A playful reference to the Ambassador's infant grandson,
Walter H. Page, Jr.]

[Footnote 34: Drowned on the Hampshire, June 5, 1916, off the coast of
Scotland.]

[Footnote 35: President of the University of Virginia.]

[Footnote 36: Hampton Institute, at Hampton, Va.]

[Footnote 37: C. Alphonso Smith, Professor of English, U.S. Naval
Academy; Roosevelt Professor at Berlin, 1910-11.]

CHAPTER XIX

WASHINGTON IN THE SUMMER OF 1916

I

In July Page received a cablegram summoning him to Washington. This
message did not explain why his presence was desired, nor on this point
was Page ever definitely enlightened, though there were more or less
vague statements that a "change of atmosphere" might better enable the
Ambassador to understand the problems which were then engrossing the
State Department.

The President had now only a single aim in view. From the date of the
so-called _Sussex_ "pledge," May 4, 1916, until the resumption of
submarine warfare on February 1, 1917, Mr. Wilson devoted all his
energies to bringing the warring powers together and establishing peace.
More than one motive was inspiring the president in this determination.
That this policy accorded with his own idealistic tendencies is true,
and that he aspired to a po