My dear Miss Merriman:
I am waiting in the Times office to see Mr. Steed. I will try to bring my story up to date. In my last note -- of the 23d, I ended with the account of my visit to Seton Watson on Oct. 23.
Saturday night I had dinner at J. A. Hobson's, with Mr. Hobson, Mrs. Hobson and Prof. Redlich of Vienna. The conversation ranged over a great many subjects and dealt in considerable detail with Austria. Redlich was very anxious that the world begin to distinguish between Austria and Germany and that Austria at least be admitted to the League now. He has promised to help me in every way possible when I come to Vienna. He knows America very well, wanted to be remembered to Burlingham, as did also Mr. Hirst and Stephen Graham.
Sunday was a busy day: Had lunch with [Henri] P. Hoffer, a Swiss member of the Secretariat. He was much interested in our work and very anxious that Germany and Austria be admitted to the League now. He promised to help me secure a place to stay in Geneva.
At 3:20 went to tea with Mrs. Sidney Webb. Had a most interesting hour and a half. She told me in detail of the working of the [Labour] party and its relation to the Government now and to the [intelligentsia]. She hasn't a very high opinion of our labor movement or of our government and possibly not of our [intelligentsia] either. She thought Ramsay MacDonald a possible member of the first [Labour] government but not its head. Her judgment of Cole was favorable but not flattering. She contrasted most unfavorably our methods of administration with the British methods. She and her husband are not thinking of coming to America and could be induced to do so only by financial considerations.
At 5:15 had tea again, with Stephen Graham. We discussed America and then he discussed Russia. He was delighted with our volume a copy of which I gave him, as I did also Mrs. Webb. He thinks Bolshevism cannot last and nevertheless it is the only [binder]; that after it will come chaos; that we ought to trade, etc.
Had dinner with Miss Cumming.
After dinner went to see Wilson Harris -- 10:10-11:30. We went over in detail your proposal in your cable of the 19th. One difficulty is that the Germans may not apply for admission. He is trying to induce them to do so. He was delighted that we were going to urge her admission. He was much interested in American attitude towards reparations, Austria, etc.
Today, Monday 10/25/20, has been even busier than Sunday. Started by seeing E. D. Morel, Union of Democratic Control -- 10-11:15. He discussed the general situation and was particularly insistent on the growing estrangement of England and France -- a point stressed by nearly every one I see here. He emphasized the utter unworkableness of the Treaty and the importance of America aiding in its modifications. [page 2]
Then went to see Dr. K. E. Markel -- the man who during the war had the confidence of both the British and the German governments and who is now doing so much for relief. He has given me important letters of introduction for Germany. It was his estimate that millions possibly 10,000,000 of people may die in Central Europe if this is a severe winter.
Then went to the Nation lunch, at the National Liberal Club. There were present Nevinson, [Massingham], Hirst, Laski, Redlich, Hammond, Masterman, Brailsford (just back from Russia), Noel Buxton, [Tomlinson], O'Neil, Jood and Orchard. These last four you may not recognize. I had an opportunity for a good talk with Nevinson, Brailsford, Noel Buxton and Laski and some of the others. I am to see [Massingham] again on Thursday.
From the lunch I went to see [Wickham] Steed, Editor of the Times. We had nearly an hour. He was most frank and specific. His denunciation of L. George was most vigorous. His analysis of the Irish situation was very clear and his appreciation of the danger involved in it for Anglo-American relations was very full. He wants America to act as a balance between France and England, which two states he sees constantly becoming more and more bitter towards each other. The reparations are to be modified but only so far as to permit of the healthy growth of her industry but so as to prevent her becoming a rival of England or America in foreign markets. Hoover he believes a much safer guide than Cravath, whom he sees in the grasp of German capitalists in Germany in Austria.
In reference to Austria Hungary -- he would restore the whole Empire now as an economic union. This he thinks preferable to Austria joining Germany. He traces the worst phases of the peace to House's illness at the beginning of 1919, when things began to get out of hand and George began to fool and betray Wilson. When I left he urged me to come to see him again if I returned to England before going home.
Left his office at 5 P.M. and rushed in a taxi to the House of Commons to attend a private meeting in one of the committee rooms on the Irish question. Plunkett was one of the principal speakers and detailed some appalling conditions there.
Conferences of National Peace Council on Ireland -- Parliament Bldg. Room [illegible] Monday, Oct. 25 -- Lord Henry Cavendish [Bentinck], M.P. presiding. Among those who were present were Nevinson, Hobson, Wilson Harris, Lady Parmoor, George Bernard Shaw, Mr. Devlin, M.P., Mrs. [Swanwick], Women's Int. League, Lady Courtney, Mr. Basil Williams, Ramsay MacDonald, Lady Courtney of [Penwith], Prof. Hobhouse. All of these persons and many others spoke. Devlin made a most moving appeal. He has just been readmitted to the H. of C. after his recent expulsion. I met Lady Courtney, Sir H. Plunkett and several others. At the end of this session I called it a day and went to a the [theater].
Today, Tuesday Oct. 26, I called on Miss Maud Royden -- had an interview with her and secured her consent to come to America in March or April, possibly earlier if we were sure there was something then which she could do which would make a real difference. Every one here agrees that she is England's foremost woman speaker. She is not to the extreme left. My judgment after talking to her [page 3] is that she would fit our [psychology] exactly. Please notify Miss Addams of her willingness to come.
Had lunch with [Cadbury] of the London News, Wilson Harris and one other editor. The general results of our conference confirmed what I wrote you the other day about my night conference with Wilson Harris.
Went to tea with Robert Dell. He is I think going radical, wants America to stay out of the League and Treaty and to join in a new effort to crush France. Again I was impressed by the unanimity of British feeling towards France. From Steed to Dell it is all the same. I am to see Dell again in Geneva, as I am to see several of the persons I have met here and some I failed to see here.
I am leaving for dinner very soon with George Young -- and with him am going to see a group of what he terms "useful people" later. I am expecting to go to Paris Monday Nov. 2 -- from there to go to Berlin by the way of [Brussels] and Amsterdam and then to Vienna, Leipzig and on to Geneva by the 15th of November.
Received your cable about date for Cecil's answer. I am glad you can wait so long. As you have noticed he has been appointed by Smuts as one of South Africa's representatives to the Assembly. Too bad Smuts himself cannot come. Cecil's (appointment) is a direct slap at the Government here who refused to send him.
I am going to dinner at Lady Courtney's tomorrow.
Will write you again in a day or two.
JAMES G. MCDONALD
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