I think I have now learned _that_ lesson pretty thoroughly. These
Anglophobiacs--Irish and Panama--hound me wherever I go. I think I
told you of one of their correspondents, who one night got up and
yawned at a public dinner as soon as I had spoken and said to his
neighbours: "Well, I'll go, the Ambassador didn't say anything that
I can get him into trouble about."

I shall, hereafter, write out my speeches and have them gone over
carefully by my little Cabinet of Secretaries. Yet something
(perhaps not much) will be lost. For these people are infinitely
kind and friendly and courteous.

They cannot be driven by anybody to do anything, but they can be
led by us to do anything--by the use of spontaneous courtesy. It is
by spontaneous courtesy that I have achieved whatever I have
achieved, and it is for this that those like me who do like me. Of
course, what some of the American newspapers have said is
true--that I am too free and too untrained to be a great
Ambassador. But the conventional type of Ambassador would not be
worth his salt to represent the United States here now, when they
are eager to work with us for the peace of the world, if they are
convinced of our honour and right-mindedness and the genuineness of
our friendship.

I talked this over with Sir Edward Grey the other day, and after
telling me that I need fear no trouble at this end of the line, he
told me how severely he is now criticized by a "certain element"
for "bowing too low to the Americans." We then each bowed low to
the other. The yellow press and Chamberlain would give a year's
growth for a photograph of us in that posture!

I am infinitely obliged to you for your kind understanding and your
toleration of my errors.

Yours always heartily,
WALTER H. PAGE.

To the President.

P.S. The serious part of the speech--made to convince the financial
people, who are restive about Mexico, that we do not mean to forbid
legitimate investments in Central America--has had a good effect
here. I have received the thanks of many important men.

W.H.P.

_From the President_

The White House, Washington,
March 25, 1914.

MY DEAR PAGE:

Thank you for your little note of March thirteenth[52]. You may be
sure that none of us who knew you or rea