human
There were munitions, said the Senator,
gpt
What's the difference? Potter demanded.
human
Are we going to let them murder our citizens like this--and put up such an excuse as that?
gpt
Citizens had no business on the boat, said the stranger.
human
They brought it on themselves.
gpt
There's _got_ to be war, said Potter, his eyes traveling uncertainly from Senator to business man--to his father, where they remained.
human
There's no other way. What else can be done about such a thing?
gpt
For one thing, said Fabius Waite, coolly,
human
I must get to Washington. The Senate doesn't want war, I can vouch for that.... But the people.... Perhaps the President can hold them.
gpt
I gather from your words that he'll be willing to try?
human
He's the last man in the country to want war.... There'll be no war. Those German dunder-heads! Do they want to pull the whole world down about their ears?
gpt
They're fools,
human
We won't argue about their wisdom. Whether they were wise or foolish, they seem to have sunk the _Lusitania_. Fabius Waite paused.
gpt
And when all's said and done it won't be the Senate nor the President nor business which determines what we will do about it. It's the people who will make up their minds. Don't lose sight of that.
human
Public opinion can be molded.
gpt
For a while and to an extent.... I believe this thing can be handled so that nothing will come of it. It will take careful handling. You agree with me, do you not, Senator, that neither the people nor the business of the Middle West want war?
human
Certainly I do.
gpt
I have no doubt you will intimate to the President that you have grave doubts if the Middle West will follow him into war--will back him up in any belligerent attitude he may have in mind to assume.