nference, and of the
difficulty Germany would have if asked to alter the proportion of her
army to her population--a proportion which rested on a fundamental law.
For Germany alone to object to disarmament would be to put herself in a
hole, and it would be a friendly act if we could devise some way out of
a definite vote on reduction. Germany might well enter a conference to
record and emphasize the improvement all round in international
relations, the desirability of further developing this improvement, and
the hope that with it the growth of armaments would cease. But he was
afraid of the kind of initiative which might come from America. The
United States had no sympathy with European military and naval
difficulties.

I said that I thought that we, as a Government, were pledged to try to
bring about something more definite than what he suggested as a limit,
but that I would report what he had told me.

He then passed to general topics. He was emphatic in his assurance that
what Germany wanted was increase of commercial development. Let the
nations avoid inflicting pin-pricks, and leave each other free to
breathe the air. He said that he thought we might have opportunities of
helping them to get the French into an easier mood. They were difficult
and suspicious, he observed, and it was hard to transact business with
them, for they made trouble over small points.

On my return to London I sent to Herr von Tschirsky some English
newspapers containing articles with a friendly tone, so far as the
preservation of good relations was concerned. He replied in a letter
from which I translate the material portion:

"I see with pleasure from the articles which your Excellency has sent me
for his Majesty, and from other expressions of public opinion in English
newspapers, that in the leading Liberal papers of England a more
friendly tone toward Germany is making itself apparent. You would have
been able to derive the same impression from reading our newspapers,
with the exception of a few Pan-German prints. Alas! papers like _The
Times_, _Morning Post_ and _Standard_ can not bring themselves to
refrain from their attitude of dislike, and are always rejoicing in
being suspicious of every action of the Imperial Government. They
contribute in this fashion appreciably to render weak the new tone of
diminishing misunderstanding which has arisen between the two countries.
If I fear that under these circumstances it will be a long ti