’It’stherightkind，’herepliedsolemnly。’Say，Major，whatareyourlotfightingfor？ForyourownskinsandyourEmpireandthepeaceofEurope。Waal，thoseidealsdon’tconcernusonecent。
We’renotEuropeans，andtherearen’tanyGermantrenchesonLongIslandyet。You’vemadetheringinEurope，andifwecamebuttinginitwouldn’tbetherulesofthegame。Youwouldn’twelcomeus，andIguessyou’dberight。We’rethatdelicate—mindedwecan’tinterfereandthatwaswhatmyfriend，PresidentWilson，meantwhenheopinedthatAmericawastooproudtofight。Sowe’renootrals。Butlikewisewe’rebenevolentnootrals。AsIfollowevents，there’saskunkbeenletlooseintheworld，andtheodourofitisgoingtomakelifenonetoosweettillitisclearedaway。Itwasn’tusthatstirredupthatskunk，butwe’vegottotakeahandindisinfectingtheplanet。See？Wecan’tfight，but，byGod！someofusaregoingtosweatbloodtosweepthemessup。OfficiallywedonothingexceptgiveoffNoteslikealeakyboilergivesoffsteam。
Butasindividooalcitizenswe’reinituptotheneck。So，inthespiritofJeffersonDavisandWoodrowWilson，I’mgoingtobethenootralistkindofnootraltillKaiserwillbesorryhedidn’tdeclarewaronAmericaatthebeginning。’
Iwascompletelyrecoveringmytemper。Thisfellowwasaperfectjewel，andhisspiritputpurposeintome。
’IguessyouBritishwerethesamekindofnootralwhenyourAdmiralwarnedofftheGermanfleetfrominterferingwithDeweyinManilaBayin’98。’MrBlenkirondrankupthelastdropofhisboiledmilkandlitathinblackcigar。