“First, let me say that no man ever held office in the world, who was actually capable of running more than a village of ten thousand inhabitants. All men who have been higher in apparent rank than village mayors, have simply made shift: rattled about in their big chairs as they could. The courageous man, knowing this, respects, but does not fear or revere the alleged great. They all get the respect from me due to a good mayor, and no more. No man should run for a great office without expecting to make a botch of his administration. I dream of something definite and quite selfish. I want to have my turn as President of the World Government. This proclamation may be too much American style for the stomachs of my Japanese friends here present. But no one was ever elected dog catcher, coroner, governor, senator, or president, in this United States, who did not first nominate himself. As a matter of fact I know of no American politician who was ever urged to run by his most admiring friend. I must keep my American political habits if I am to feel at home in this contest and to retain even the American vote. All this is by the way. I hope it is not too mysterious to a Japanese. “To continue as to my views around and about this office. A man may serve but one term at best. We Michaels are a long lived set, and I am hoping at the end of this war to have strength for one term. “It is a long journey to the nomination past all other possible national or international ambitions; for instance, in my case, past an ambition to forge a thousand Michael blades. “I admit I am an old man, and I know the ironies, or at least some of them, if I win. Whoever is President of the World or mayor of a small town is predestined to be overthrown by the ten most envious and vigorous young men who want his place.” And now the eagle begins to flame in the face of Michael and he speaks most earnestly: “I can only hope that some of the envious will be from Springfield’s freshman chivalry. I love the hate of young men and young women when it is high and keeps them driving forward to unseat the older generation in tournaments over noble issues. And whoever replaces me at the World Capitol, either in the legislature or the supreme chair, I hope to have made my bungling record there of such a sort, my foe, equally human, will be obliged to do his noblest to unseat me. But the sword of the Michaels has not been called the Avanel sword by divine accident alone, and at the end of my turn, ten years hence, or so, I am willing to be driven out of the supreme-chair by a Boone, of Springfield, particularly if it is a girl, and particularly if she is named Avanel.” Which ending is of course but gallant nonsense. But I venture, from my dark corner to interrupt severely:—“The world would have a princess, not a president. It would simply be the reiteration of monarchy and idolatry from of old time.” But no one seems to hear me. My voice comes from too far away.