It seems incredible that the Ambassador should not have been told of this, but Page learned of the proposal from Field Marshal French, then commanding the British armies in the field, and this accounts for Colonel House's explanation that, "the reason you had no information, in regard to what General French mentioned was because no one knew of it outside of the President and myself and there was no safe way to inform you." Page has left a memorandum which explains the whole strange proceeding--a paper which is interesting not only for its contents, but as an illustration of the unofficial way in which diplomacy was conducted in Washington at this time: * * * * * Field Marshal Sir John French, secretly at home from his command of the English forces in France, invited me to luncheon.

There were his especially confidential friend Moore, the American who lives with him, and Sir John's private secretary.

The military situation is this: a trench stalemate in France.

Neither army has made appreciable progress in three months.

Neither can advance without a great loss of men.
Neither is whipped.