Although America has formally refused the invitation to the Hague
Conference the door is evidently not shut against some sort of American co-operation. This has been hinted from Washington. If we look at the facts we can see how natural it is for America to feel differently from the nations of Europe about Russia and how likely it is, therefore, that she will wish to act differently. For one thing, America has no complicated past relations with Russia. Between her and Russia there is a clean slate. She may well want to write on that slate without having her opinions directed, or rather deflected, by all the collateral considerations which prevent the issues between France and Russia and between Britain and Russia from being capable of simple and positive statement. In fine, America may think it best to deal direct with Russia. But that is not to say that her negotiations may not be very helpful to us and to France.
