One of his intellectual pleasures, he added, had long been contemplation of the United States as it is and, even more, as its influence in the world will broaden.

'The world,' said Mr.Balfour, 'will more and more turn on the Great Republic as on a pivot.'" Occasionally Mr.Balfour's discussion of the United States would take a more pensive turn.

A memorandum which Page wrote a few weeks after the above touches another point: March 27, 1917.
I had a most interesting conversation with Mr.Balfour this afternoon.

"It's sad to me," said he, "that we are so unpopular, so much more unpopular than the French, in your country.

Why is it?
The old school books ?" I doubted the school-book influence.
"Certainly their influence is not the main cause.