of impending starvation across the Rhine; but I never
even now hear of any dead ones from hunger. Cold steel or lead is
the only fatal dose for them.

Therefore I know that shredded wheat will carry me through.

You'll see, I hope, from the clippings that I enclose that I'm not
done for yet anyhow. Two speeches a day is no small stunt; and I
did it again yesterday--hand running; and I went out to dinner
afterward. It was a notable occasion--this celebration of the
anniversary of our coming into the war[74].

Nobody here knows definitely just what to fear from the big battle;
but everybody fears more or less. It's a critical time--very. I am
told that that long-range gunning of Paris is the worst form of
frightfulness yet tried. The shells do not kill a great many
people. But their falling every fifteen minutes gets on people's
nerves and they can't sleep. I hear they are leaving Paris in great
numbers. Since the big battle began and the Germans have needed all
their planes and more in France, they've let London alone. But
nobody knows when they will begin again.

Nobody knows any future thing about the war, and everybody faces a
fear.

Secretary Baker stayed with me the two days and three nights he was
here. He made a good impression but he received a better one. He
now knows something about the war. I had at dinner to meet him:

Lloyd George, Prime Minister.

Balfour, Foreign Secretary.

The Chief of Staff.

Lord Derby, War Secretary.

General Biddle, U.S.A., in command in London.

Admiral Sims, U.S.N.

The talk was to the point--good and earnest. Baker went straight
back to France and our _whole_ cooeperation began. With the first
group of four he had conferences besides for two days. His coming
was an admirable move.

Yours affectionately,
W.H.P.

_To Ralph W. Page_

London, April 13, 1918.

DEAR RALPH:

Your cheery letters about entertaining governors, planting trees
and shrubbery and your mother's little orchard give us much
pleasure. The Southern Pines paper brings news of very great damage
to the peach crop. I hope it is much exaggerated. Is it?

We haven't any news here, and I send you my weekly note only to
keep my record clear. The great battle--no one talks or thinks of