agree
that Germany has to be completely crushed and that terms must be
made either in Berlin or London. It is manifestly against England's
interest and the interest of Europe generally for Russia to become
the dominating military force in Europe, just as Germany was. The
dislike which England has for Germany should not blind her to
actual conditions. If Germany is crushed, England cannot solely
write the terms of peace, but Russia's wishes must also largely
prevail.

With Russia strong in militarism, there is no way by which she
could be reached. Her government is so constituted that friendly
conversations could not be had with her as they might be had even
with such a power as Germany, and the world would look forward to
another cataclysm and in the not too distant future.

When peace conversations begin, at best, they will probably
continue many months before anything tangible comes from them.
England and the Allies could readily stand on the general
proposition that only enduring peace will satisfy them and I can
see no insuperable obstacle in the way.

The Kaiser did not want war and was not responsible for it further
than his lack of foresight which led him to build up a formidable
engine of war which later dominated him. Peace cannot be made until
the war party in Germany find that their ambitions cannot be
realized, and this, I think, they are beginning to know.

When the war is ended and the necessary territorial alignments
made, it seems to me, the best guaranty of peace could be brought
by every nation in Europe guaranteeing the territorial integrity of
every other nation[104]. By confining the manufacture of arms to
the governments themselves and by permitting representatives of all
nations to inspect, at any time, the works[105].

Then, too, all sources of national irritation should be removed so
what at first may be a sore spot cannot grow into a malignant
disease[106]. It will not be too difficult, I think, to bring about
an agreement that will insure permanent peace, provided all the
nations of Europe are honest in their desire for it.

I am writing this to you with the President's knowledge and consent
and with the thought that it will be conveyed to Sir Edward. There
is a growing impatience in this country because o