Page naturally sent prompt reports of all these conversations to the President and likewise kept him completely informed as to the state of public feeling, but his best exertions apparently did not immediately affect the Wilson policy.

The overwhelming fact is that the President's mind was fixed on a determination to compel the warring powers to make peace and in this way to keep the United States out of the conflict.

Even the disturbance caused by his note of December 18th did not make him pause in this peace campaign.

To that note the British sent a manly and definite reply, drafted by Mr.Balfour, giving in detail precisely the terms upon which the Allies would compose their differences with the Central Powers.

The Germans sent a reply consisting of ten or a dozen lines, which did not give their terms, but merely asked again for a conference.