10 MARCH 1917, Page 2

. While dealing with the American situation we desire to

express our great satisfaction in learning that the rumours that the .Auterican

Ambassador to this country, Mr. Page, was about to retire are without foundation. Mr. Page hai had D. most difficult part to ,play. Neutrality always .demands an art, but when the neutral Power, as in the case of the United Statess has an enormous number of citizens who only a few years ago were citizens of one of the belligerent Powers, and who no cleim, and have a right to claim. all the privileges of neutrals—we mean of course the German- Americans—and when further there are the difficult questions as to completed and uncompleted naturalization, false claims to pass- ports, and so forth, one can imagine how easily friction might arise.