As regards foreign affairs our government lacks proper machinery.

Take this as an illustration: The President wrote vigorous and proper notes about the _Lusitania_ and took a firm stand with Germany.

Germany has paid no attention to the _Lusitania_ outrage.

Yet (as I understand it) the people will not run the risk of war--or the Administration thinks they will not--and hence the President can do nothing to make his threat good.

Therefore we stand in a ridiculous situation; and nobody cares how many notes we write.