"Exactly 'bold,'" he remarked at last. "Just 'bold.'"
"It's always worth while to be generous," answered Edgar.
"Personally, perhaps." Gaythorpe hesitated. "But in business—my dear boy!"
"Well, you've had conferences and committees sitting for years, and discussing things all over the world. They cut a figure in the press. Does any one believe in them as productive of solutions? They're like letters, or any other form of imitation dignity. It's quite easy to hit on a formula; but the formula isn't a reality. Once get a group of men together with conflicting interests——"
"A common interest," supplemented Gaythorpe. "It's come to that when the world's in danger of bankruptcy."
"Conflicting self-interest. Any number of people can agree on a principle; but bring them into relation with others dominated by a rival self-interest, and you're helpless."
"Pool your self-interest. Face it," Gaythorpe suggested. "Use it as the basis of agreement."
Edgar smiled slightly, his hands clasped upon the table.
"You'll never do that in international finance," he said. "At any rate, as long as nationalism's a gospel."