Like Mr.Tumulty, the President's Secretary, Colonel House usually addressed the President in terms reminiscent of the days when Mr.Wilson was Governor of New Jersey.

Especially interesting also are Colonel House's references to his own trip to Berlin and the joint efforts made by the President and himself in the preceding June to forestall the war which had now broken out.
_Edward M.House to the President_ Pride's Crossing (Mass.), August 3, 1914.

[Monday.] The President, The White House, Washington, D.C.
Dear Governor: Our people are deeply shocked at the enormity of this general European war, and I see here and there regret that you did not use your good offices in behalf of peace.
If this grows into criticism so as to become noticeable I believe everyone would be pleased and proud that you had anticipated this world-wide horror and had done all that was humanly possible to avert it.
The more terrible the war becomes, the greater credit it will be that you saw the trend of events long before it was seen by other statesmen of the world.
Your very faithful, E.M.

House.
P.S.The question might be asked why negotiations were only with Germany and England and not with France and Russia.

This, of course, was because it was thought that Germany would act for the Triple Alliance and England for the Triple Entente[65].
_The President to Edward M.House_ The White House, Washington, D.C.
August 4th, 1914.