One is naturally reminded of the stories which used to
be told of Disraeli before the signing of the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. Whenever a nasty snag impeded the progress of Disraeli in his difficult negotiations with Bismarck, he used to talk about the special train which was in waiting with steam up to take him home. Yet if our memory does not mislead us, Bismarck also used to tell his friends and admirers that he directed threatening hints of an exactly similar kind to Disraeli. Possibly both of them did the same thing. Bub is it not just as possible that neither of them did it ? And so, on the whole, we are inclined to treat the stories about Mr. Wilson in a spirit of respectful scepticism. It cannot, of course, be at all dis- agreeable to Mr. Wilson to let it be thought that his patience has limits, but it is utterly incredible that he would really turn his back on Europe, wash his hands of all its affairs, and retire to his Transatlantic tent. If he believes in the League of Nations at all, and of course he most sincerely believes in it, he knows just as well as we do, and probably a good deal better, that the League will exact sacrifices and trouble and a great load of responsibility. Having proposed to the world that this burden should be borne, Mr. Wilson will not be the first to fling it off his shoulder.
