February 9, 1915. Scareheads in the papers which I believe to be German propaganda, stating that the Lusitania was flying the American flag as she sailed into the harbor of Liverpool. Much talk of this simple fact, which proves a common and justifiable expedient in war. I grow more and more afraid of Germany and of a certain exasperating density of the British that is Germany’s great ally!
February 14, 1915. To-day the one hundredth anniversary of peace between the United States and Great Britain was observed in the churches. Safford Jones’ sermon was to the point, and the quotation from Emerson’s Manchester Address very apt. To see Mrs. Lorillard Spencer. She is most interesting in telling of her experiences in the Philippines and her work under Bishop Brent for the Moros. The change of administration and the poor appointments Wilson has made have brought about a state of things out there that she describes as “hopeless.” Spoke of the work done there by Cameron Forbes and the others of his kind as of some splendid structure whose foundations have been shaken! More and more it seems to me we should follow the methods of France and cut out the spoils system. All people concerned in constructive work should be permanent and not floating appointments to suit the politicians.
February 17, 1915. Many serious developments in the war. Talked over the matter of an entertainment for the local British Relief association. To meet Beatrice Forbes-Robertson, who arrived late through the mistake of her agent. To the hall in fear and trembling. Had worked hard to get an audience and found we had succeeded beyond all hopes. The president and vice-president of the Antis and all the Suffragists were there. She gave a good summing up of the suffrage situation in England and then spoke of the woman question in the U. S. A. A very fine address; she spoke nearly two hours and nobody felt it too long. Her art as an actress made it admirable from the dramatic point of view, as well as good sound common sense.
February 28, 1915. To see Mrs. —— after church, found her and her husband at home. A signed photograph of the German Emperor in her parlor,—the mark of the beast! Wherever you find this, you find the people who own it completely pro-German. It has cost him a good deal in photographs, and it has cost our people a good deal in gilt and silver photograph frames with an imperial crown atop, but it was a cheap outlay for what it has brought about for German propaganda.
May 7, 1915. To-day Germany dropped the mask and stood, declared to all the world, a Savage Nation. She has thrown behind her with both hands the civilization which the ages have slowly raised, and stands an exultant rebel, a magnificent Brute with all the human qualities gone. The Cunard steamer, Lusitania, was torpedoed by German submarines off Kinsale, three miles from the coast of Ireland, and sank eighteen minutes later, carrying down more than one thousand souls. Our neighbor, Alfred Vanderbilt, died like a brave man; he is reported to have given away his life belt and also tried to save some of the children. The shock of it stuns us all. Elbert Hubbard and his wife are lost, and many others known to us by name. The first outcry is for war—revenge! Sober second thought with most takes on another complexion. Germany did this thing with the idea, above all else, of provoking us to fight. From the observation of the clever spies who live among us, it was known that the two events which had roused our people more than any other since the Civil War were the sinking of the Maine and of the Titanic. This outrage of the sinking of the Lusitania was the thing best calculated to make us declare war. As we stand now, the silent friend behind the Allies, we are one thousand times more deadly to Germany than if we went into the war. The great stream of food, arms, money, stores of all sorts, doctors, nurses, helpers of every kind, the resources of our nation, in fact, would be diverted and kept at home. The hot-bloods clamor for war, but not the long-headed,—or so it seems. Italy would never have attained her freedom and the unification could never have come about, if England had not stood solidly and quietly behind her, the great friend and helper of the liberals. To-day we stand much in the same attitude as the England of that time, and we must fulfill the rôle as best we can.
In a little more than four years after its founding, the Art Association had already outgrown the little Hunt studio and, thanks to the group of powerful men and women who had become interested in building up the new association, we secured for its home the fine estate, formerly belonging to Mr. John N. A. Griswold, on the corner of Bellevue Avenue and Touro Park. It was with something of a heartache that we gave up that modest first home of ours, for the larger dwelling with the greater possibilities of service. One of the last general gatherings in the Hunt studio was a New Year’s reception.
January 1, 1916. To the Art Association for the New Year’s reception and musicale. Lydia Hughes (Dudley Foulkes’ daughter) sang charmingly. My brief speech was all about our new home, the Griswold house. I recalled the story of Apollo coming to Delphi to establish his temple, and how the god, finding no people to serve him, compelled some sailors who were passing in a boat to come on shore and act as his servants. I then sketched the wonderful influence of the Delphic oracle through many centuries; spoke of the part played in history of civilization by the temple, the oracle, and the priests, and likened ourselves, the pioneers of the new temple of the Arts, to those sailors compelled by the god to serve him,—the servants of Apollo!
When we were youngsters we played a game in which one child, placing a closed fist on the palm of another, whispered:
“Hold fast what I give you.”