rcles in New York, but among the
people in general to the West of Buffalo and Pittsburg it was terrible
earnest. A curious point, moreover, which I think I have never seen
stated in England, is that many good men in the Democratic Party at that
time stood by President Cleveland, though sincerely friendly to Great
Britain; the truth being that they did not believe that war with
England was seriously to be apprehended, while another Power was at the
moment seeking to obtain a foothold in South America, for whose benefit
a "vigorous assertion of the Monroe Doctrine" was much to be desired.
The thunders of the famous message indeed were, in the minds of many
excellent Americans in the East, directed not against Great Britain but
against Germany.

None the less it should be noted that it was in the hope of influencing
the voters in a local election in New York that Mr. Hearst, as recently
as in November, 1907, thought it worth while to appeal to the
"traditional hatred" of Great Britain. However little else Mr. Hearst
may have to commend him, he cannot be said to be out of touch with the
sentiments of the more ignorant masses of the people of New York. That
he failed did not signify that he was mistaken as to the extent or
intensity of the prejudice to which he appealed, but only that the cry
was raised too late and too obviously as an electioneering trick in a
campaign which was already lost.

In spite of what happened during the Spanish War, in spite of every
effort that England has made to convince America of her friendliness, in
spite of the improvement which has taken place in the feelings of (what,
without offence, I venture to call) the upper classes in America towards
Great Britain, the fact still remains that, with a large portion of the
people, war with England would be popular.

That is, perhaps, to state the case somewhat brutally. Let me rather say
that, if any pretext should arise, the minds of the masses of the
American people could more easily be inflamed to the point of desiring
war with England than they could to the point of desiring war with any
other nation. It is bitter to have to say it--horrible to think it. I
know also that many Americans will not agree with me; but I do not think
that among them will be many of those whose business it is, either as
politicians or as journalists, to be in touch with the sentiments of the
people.

Let me not be suspected of failing to attach sufficient importance