Von Tirpitz was openly and demonstratively hostile.

The leader of the German Navy simply bristled with antagonism at any suggestion for peace or disarmament or world cooeperation.

He consumed a large part of the time which Colonel House spent with him denouncing England and all its works.

Hatred of the "Island Kingdom" was apparently the consuming passion of his existence.
On the whole, Von Tirpitz thus made no attempt to conceal his feeling that the purpose of the House mission was extremely distasteful to him.
The other members of the Government, while not so tactlessly hostile, were not particularly encouraging.

The usual objections to disarmament were urged--the fear of other Powers, the walled-in state of Germany, the vigilant enemies against which it was necessary constantly to be prepared and watchful.