LONDON, Ma~ch 12, 1~40.
 
     I called on Mr. Winston Churchill at the Admirality
 
at 5 P.M.
 
     When I was shown into his office Mr. Churchill was
 
sitting in front of the fire, smoking a 24-inch cigar,
 
and drinking a whiskey-and soda. It was quite obvious
 
that he had consumed a good many whiskeys before I arrived. 
 
As soon as the preliminary courtesies had been con-
 
cluded, Mr. Churchill commenced an address which lasted
 
exactly one hour and fifty minutes, and during which I was 
 
never given the opportunity to say a word. It con-
 
stituted a cascade of oratory, brilliant and always ef-
 
fective, interlarded with considerable wit. It would 
 
have impressed me more had I not already read his book
 
"Step by Step" (of which incidentally, he gave me an 
 
autographed copy before I left) and of which his address 
 
to me constituted a rehash.
 
     The gist of Mr. Churchill's remarks was that he was
 
sitting in the same office in which he had sat twenty-
 
five years before, confronted by exactly the same situa-
 
tion. The reason for it was that British Governments
 
during the past twenty years had refused to follow a
 
realistic policy towards Germany. The objectives of
 
the German people had not changed, and would not change.
 
These were world supremacy and military conquest;
 
objectives which endangered the security of the United
 
States as much as they imperilled the safety of the
 
British Empire. He had foreseen the present crisis time
 
and again he had pointed out to previous British Govern-
 
ments the dangers they were incurring, but he had not
 
                                                  been