A doubt remained, nevertheless; and we missed the chance of a
strong insurance against Japanese encroachment. Stroked caressingly
yesterday and boxed ears today:
Over there the dollar alone rules, and all diplomacy is a
pestilential swamp; decency is an infrequent guest, with scorn
grinning ever over its shoulder; the entrepreneur is a rogue,
the official a purchasable puppet, the lady a
cold-cream-covered lady-peacock.
The stubborn idealism, the cheerful ability of the American, his joy in
giving, his achievements in and for art, science, culture--all that was
scarcely noticed. Such a caricature could not be erased by compliments.
Before Mr. Roosevelt bared his set of stallion's teeth (Hengstgebiss) to
the Berliners, he had spoken cheerfully to Admirals Dewey and Beresford
concerning the possibilities of a war of the Star-Spangled Banner
against Germany. And gentler fellow-countrymen of the billboard man
said:
You're amazing. Yourselves devilishly greedy for profits, yet
you scoff at us because we go chasing after business. You
fetch heaps of money across the sea, and then turn up your
sublimely snuffing noses as if it stinks.
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