711.00/15½
The Ambassador in Italy (Page) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 8.]
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I have been so outdone by the persistent, senseless and groundless criticisms of the President’s foreign policy that I have felt moved to write a paper as a sort of challenge to all, and especially to the leaders who are at the back of the campaign of criticisms and depreciation. I, of course, however, do not feel at liberty to publish anything relating to politics without submitting it to you with a view to knowing whether such a publication meets with your approbation or whether you think it in any event might not be inappropriate for me to publish it. I accordingly am availing myself of an opportunity to send by the pouch leaving to-day a paper53 which I have written along the line suggested and I hope you will not think I am imposing on you too much in asking you to look it over at your leisure and if you think it proper to send it to Colonel House to whom I have written on the subject. I may add that I have also written to the President a letter setting out my views, though he, of course, knows nothing of the contents of this paper. Perhaps, it might be published without my name, though I am always ready to stand for anything that I write for publication. If you think there is no objection to it in the main, but that certain parts of it had better be eliminated, this course will be entirely satisfactory to me, as will be, indeed, whatever course you and House think proper in dealing with it.
[Page 736]I feel that my pen may be of some service to the President in certain directions if I can use it. I recognize, of course, that I have to be very careful; but the fact seems so clear to me that the President’s foreign policy has been not only not what his enemies proclaim it to have been; but really just the opposite to what they say, that I cannot but think it proper to set forth the facts as they are. A Minister of one of the neutral European countries said to me not later than yesterday that he felt that American diplomacy to-day was on the highest level that it had ever reached, and when I spoke of the soundness of the President’s notes he said, “Yes, in the future we shall be citing your President’s notes as the highest authority on the principles which they cover”. My own opinion is that the way to wage this coming campaign is not to go in any sense on the defensive; but to make an offensive campaign and put the cavilers and the critics on the defensive. If this is done I believe that the verdict of the American people this year will be what I know the verdict of Posterity will be, that the foreign policy of this administration will be held to have been not only sound but brilliant. I hope you will allow me to add my tribute of respect to your own part in this sound, able, and brilliant policy.
Believe me [etc.]
- Not printed.↩