Evening star., 1919-09-29

it could be perfected and installed.
the shipping situation would have
forced an allied surrender.
discussed the situation with MEM
bere Of the cabinet, such as Mr.. Baifour,
Lord Robert Cecil and Sir Edward Car
son. Their attitude to me was very diff
ferent from the attitude which they
were taking publicly, for in their
speeches these men naturally would say
nothing that would improve the enemy
morale; but in their talks with me they
repeated practically everything that Jel-
licoe had said. 1t was the seriousness
Of this situation, Of course. that sent
Mr.. Balfour and the British commission
ment that was in the history of :he al
lied cause! Not only were the German
submarines sweeping British commerce
from the seas, but the Germans were
also defeating the British and French
armies in France. When We recallthat
the high peak of success Wi the
C-boats was achieved at the very 40
ment that Gen. Nivelle's offensive failed
on the western front. we can get some
idea of the real tragedy of the allied sit
us.tion in the spring Of 1917.
"Things Were Dark" Said Balfour.
Things were dark when took
that trip to America, Mr. Balfour
said to me afterward The sub ;,
mind. I could think Of nothing but
the number of ships they were
sinking. All that time it certainly
looked as though we were going to
lose the war"
One of the men who most keeniy
realized the state of affairs was the
king. I met his majesty first in the
chancel of St. Paul's. on that mem
orable occasion in April. 1917, when
the English people held a thanks
l~Y % tan t0
entrance into the war. On this. as
on several subsequent meetings. the
king impressed me as a simple.
courteous, unaffected English gentle
man. He was dressed in khaki, like
any other English officer, and his
manner was warm-hearted. sincere,
even democratic.
TT gives me great pleasure to meet
you on an occasion like this" said
his majesty. referring to the great
Anglo-American memorial service. Il
am also glad to greet an American
admiral on such mission as yours.
And wish you all success"
On that occasion we naturally had
little time for an exchange Of views,
but few days afterward 1 was in
vited to spend the night at Windsor
Castle. The king in his own home
proved even more cordial, II that were
possible, than at our first meeting.
AItST OlHucI we S1OJOuIuCo " q oiudAi
room and there, over our cigars, we
discussed the situation at consider
able length. The king is a rapid and
animated talker; he was kept con-
stantly Informed on the submarine
situation, and discussed it that night
in all its details. was first sur
prised by his familiarity with all
naval questions and the intimate
touch which he was evidently main
tanning with the British fleet. Yet
this was not really surprising. for his
majesty himself Is a sailor. In his
early yoath he Joined the navy. in
which he worked up like any other
British boy. He seemed almost as
well informed about the American
Navy as about the British: he dis
played the utmost interest in our
preparations on land and sea, and
he was particularly solicitous that
I. as the American representative
should have complete access to the
admiralty Office. About the subma-
rine campaign the king was just as
outspoken as Jellicoe and the other
members Of the admiralty. The thing
must be stopped or the allies could
never win the war.