Page found that, on the subject of the Germans, the King entertained especially robust views.

"They are my kinsmen," he would say, "but I am ashamed of them." Probably most Englishmen, in the early days of the war, preferred that the United States should not engage in hostilities; even after the _Lusitania_, the majority in all likelihood held this view.

There are indications, however, that King George favoured American participation.
A few days after the _Lusitania_ sinking, Page had an audience for the purpose of presenting a medal sent by certain societies in New Orleans.
Neither man was thinking much about medals that morning.

The thoughts uppermost in their minds, as in the minds of most Americans and Englishmen, were the _Lusitania_ and the action that the United States was likely to take concerning it.

After the formalities of presentation, the King asked Page to sit down and talked with him for more than half an hour.