The New York herald., 1922-10-08
Our War Ambassador at St. James's

time, but which is in danger of being over
looked because of the very lightness and
deftness of Pages touch and because of
the very simple and deep-lying humor in
which he performed the great task. In
1915 the tension between Great Britain
and the United States was very acute be-
cause of the seizure by Great Britain of
neutral ships and their contraband car
goes. Congress passed law permitting
American citizens and to fly the American
flag. The story is worth telling, as Pages
relates it:
The Ddcid, a merchantmen of the
Hamburg-American Line, had been lying
at her wharf in Port Arthur, Tex, since
the outbreak of the war. In early Janu-
ary, 1915, she was purchased by E. N.
Breitung. of Marquette, Mich. Mr.. Brei-
tung caused great excitement when he
announced that he had placed the Ddcia
under American registry according to
the terms Of this new law, had put upon
her an American crew, and that he pro-
posed to load her with cotton and sail
for Germany. The crisis had now arisen
and the United States had so dreaded
Great Britains position was difficult
one. If it acquiesce6, the way would be
opened for placing under American reg
istry all the German and Austrian ships
that were then lying unoccupied in
American ports and using them in trade
between the United States and the Gen.
trail Powers. If Great Britain seized the
Ddcid, then there was the likelihood that
this would embroil her with the Ameri-
can Government-and this would serve
German purposes quite as WELL
When the Ddcia sailed on January %
the excitement was keen; the eyes of the
world were fixed upon her. German
sympathizers attributed the attitude Of
the American Government in permitting
the vessel to sail as dare" to Great
Britain, and the fact that Great Britain
had announced her intention of taking up
this dare" made the situation still more
tense
When matters had reached this pass
Page one day dropped into the Foreign
Office.
Have you ever heard of the British
fleet, Sir Edward?" he asked.
Grey admitted that he had, though the
question obviously puzzled him.
Yes" Page went on musingly
"We've all heard of the British fleet.
Perhaps We have heard too much about
it. Don't you think it's had too much
advertising?'
The Foreign Secretary looked at Page
with an expression that implied lack
of confidence in his sanity.
"But have you ever heard Of the
French fieet?" the American went on.
France has a fleet too. believe"
Sir Edward granted that.
Don't you think that the French
fleet ought to have a little advertising?"
what on earth are you talking
about?"
"WeIl," said Page, there's the Ddcid.
Why not let the French fleet seize it
and get some advertising?"
A gleam Of understanding Immediately
shot across Grey's face. The old familiar
twinkle came into his eye.
"Yes." he said. why not let the Belgian
royal yacht seize it?"
This suggestion from Page was one
of the great Inspirations of the war.
1t amounted to little less than genius.
BY this time Washington was pretty
wearied of the Ddcid, for mature consid-
Grafton had convinced the Department
that Great Britain had the right on its
SIDE To ignore the capture Of this
ship by the British would have brought
all this hullabaloo again about the ears
of the Administration. But the position
of France is entirely different; the
memories of Lafayette and Rochambeau
still exercise a profound spell on the
American minds. Page knew that
if the British seized the Dacia the cry
would go up in certain quarters for i'm
mediate war. but that if France COM
mitted the same crime the guns of the