February 6th

Miller’s darling project is to insert in the Covenant a provision for compulsory arbitration; all the minor powers who have heard of it support the idea enthusiastically. However, Lord Robert Cecil came in this afternoon and he made it exceedingly clear to House that England, at least, would have none of it.

“I hate to be a stumbling block to the realization of a dream, a world without war, which I confess exerts a strong appeal upon me. But in this present situation it would be far from wise if we allowed our hands to be tied; they must be free to fight for the right as we see it. We are ready for very drastic restrictions, we will go a long way in accepting what Mr. Bryan called so wisely ‘Cooling-Off Periods.’ And we are willing to accept delays, during which frayed tempers might be restored to normal, but, in the end, if other more civilized methods fail, we must have the right to seek the arbitrament of arms. I trust, as you do, that we may never be compelled to call upon it. Indeed, in hopeful moments I think we never shall, but I cannot assume, at least not just at present, responsibility for discarding war as an instrument for the maintenance of the peace of the world.”

Lord Robert’s nerves are getting frayed, and I sympathize with him. M. Léon Bourgeois is his bête noir, as he is mine, and with, as I think, more substantial reason, for I have to translate his interminable speeches, while Cecil and the rest of the great men can let their thoughts wander off to more agreeable pastures. And they can also go to sleep, which has happened several times with two of them. Yesterday Cecil’s nerves got the better of his manners, and in the subcommittee, according to Miller (I was not present), as Bourgeois began his familiar and oft-repeated plea for an international army, Cecil raised his arm on high and seemed to be overcome by an utter weariness which he could find no words sufficiently eloquent to express. At last, catching breath, he said,

“Oh, M. Bourgeois! Do not begin that all over again. We have heard you so often and so patiently. Your plan will lead nowhere, but, stay—I am wrong; I shall tell you what it will lead to. It will lead to the complete abandonment of our present work for some sort of a league of nations. And when that is apparent, for my part I shall certainly recommend to His Majesty’s Government an alliance between America and Great Britain to regulate the world, with France left out, because—because—of incompatibility of temper.”