to get on a "war-rampage," the least belligerent and
rambunctious of the whole lot. When he felt moved to say that there
can be no peace till the German military despotism is broken,
everybody from one end of the Kingdom to the other seems to have
thrown up his hat and applauded. Except the half-dozen peace-cranks
in the House (Bryan sort of men) you can't find a man, woman,
child, or dog that isn't fired with the determination to see the
war through. The continued talk about peace which is reported
directly and indirectly from Germany--coming from Switzerland, from
Rome, from Washington--has made the English and the French very
angry: no, "angry" isn't quite the right word. It has made them
very determined. They feel insulted by the impudence of the
Germans, who, since they know they are bound to lose, seem to be
turning heaven and earth to induce neutrals to take their view of
peace. People are asking here, "If they are victorious, why doesn't
their fleet come out of the canal and take the seas, and again open
their commerce? Why do they whimper about the blockade when they
will not even risk a warship to break it?" You'll recall how the
talk here used to be that the English wouldn't wake up. You
wouldn't know 'em now. Your bulldog has got his grip and even
thunder doesn't disturb him.

Incidentally, all the old criticism of Sir Edward Grey seems to
have been forgotten. You hear nothing but praise of him now. I am
told that he spoke his impromptu speech last night with great fire
and at once left the House. His speech has caused a greater stir
than the Irish rebellion, showing that every Englishman feels that
Sir Edward said precisely what every man feels.

The Germans have apparently overdone and overworked their premature
peace efforts and have made things worse for them. They've
overplayed their hand.

In fact, I see no end of the war. The Allies are not going to quit
prematurely. They won't even discuss the subject yet with one
another, and the Germans, by their peace-talk of the sort that they
inspire, simply postpone the day when the Allies will take the
subject up.

All the while, too, the Allies work closer and closer together.
They'll soon be doing even their diplomatic work with neutrals, as
a unit--England and France as o