Henry White Papers
Senator Elihu Root to Mr. Henry White46
My Dear White: Do not think because I have not written to you that I have been unappreciative of your very welcome and interesting letters. The fact is that I have not been at all in agreement with the general course of diplomatic policy which has been followed in Paris. I have felt that we occupied a very strong position before the Conference. We had nothing to ask for, and everybody wanted something from us which we were quite willing to give so [Page 589] long as they behaved decently. This situation plainly required on our part reserve and an avoidance of affirmatives in the first instance. With my slender means of information, however, I have not felt like writing letters which might make you unhappy; indeed, I have strongly suspected that you and Lansing and Scott were unhappy enough as it was. Of course, I may be all wrong, and you may be able easily to set me right when we come to talk about it; but in the meantime I think I better not discuss the subject, but simply express my strong desire to see you back again safe and sound.
Please give my kind regards to Lansing and General Bliss who began his diplomatic career in negotiating the Cuban Reciprocity Treaty47 under the War Department while I was Secretary of War, and to Scott.
Always faithfully yours,