EX-PRES. Perhaps I do. My way of paying attention has struck others
differently. They think I'm one who doesn't listen--who doesn't want to
listen. It's a terrible thing, Tumulty, when one sees and knows the truth
so absolutely, but cannot convince others. That's been my fate: to be so
sure that I was right (I'm as sure of that now as ever) and yet to fail.
Here--there--it has been always the same. I went over to Paris thinking to
save the Peace: there came a point when I thought it was saved; it would
have been had the Senate backed me--it could have been done then. But when
I put the case to which already we stood pledged, I convinced nobody. They
did not want justice to be done.
TUMULTY. But you had a great following, Governor. You had a wonderful
reception when you got to Paris.
EX-PRES. Yes: in London too. It seemed then as if people were only waiting
to be led. But I'm talking of the politicians now. There was no room for
conviction there; each must stick to his brief. That's what wrecked us.
Not one--not one could I get to own that the right thing was the wise
thing to do: that to be just and fear not was the real policy which would
have saved Europe--and the world.... Look at it now! Step by step, their
failure is coming home to them; but still it is only as failure that they
see it--mere human inability to surmount insuperable difficulties: the
greed, the folly, the injustice, the blindness, the cruelty of it they
don't see.
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