THE LANSING PAPERS, 1914-1920, VOLUME I



word or act that provokes war-they will support you if war comes
but they will do all in their power to prevent war, and I fully
share their desire and purpose in this respect.
  With assurances [etc.]                          WV. J. BRYAN

763.72/1849i
            President Wilson to the Secretary of State

                                     WASHINGTON, 5 Ju/ne, 1916.
  My DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I hope that you realize how hard it goes,
with me to differ with you in judgment about such grave matters as
we are now handling. You always have such weight of reason, as well
as such high motives, behind what you urge that it is with deep mis-
giving that I turn from what you press upon me.
  I am inclined to think that we ought to take steps, as you suggest,
to prevent our citizens from travelling on ships carrying munitions
of war, and I shall seek to find the legal way to do it. I fear that,
whatever it may be best to do about that, it is clearly impossible to act
before the new note goes to Germany.
  I am sorry to say that, study as I may the way to do it without
hopelessly weakening our protest, I cannot find a way to embody in
our note the principle of long discussion of a very simple state of facts;
and I think that our object with England can be gained better by
not sending a note in connection with this one than by sending it;
and, after all, it is our object and the relief of our trade that we wish
to accomplish.
  I recast the note last night. I hope you will think a little better of
itL
  I would be very much obliged if you would go over it for sub-
stance, making any suggestions that may occur to you, and that you
will ask Mr. Lansing to go over it for form and validity of statement
and claim.
  With the warmest regard, and with a very solemn and by no means.
self-confident sense of deep responsibility.
      Cordially and faithfully yours,
                                              WOODROW WILSON

763.72/18621
The Counselor for the Department of State (Lansing) to the Secretary
                            of State

                                   [WASHINGTON,] June 5, 1915.
  DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I have received the draft of the note to Ger-
many, prepared by the President,96 and also your statement of his

' For this draft, embodying Mr. Lansing's suggested changes, see p. 441;
for
text of the note as sent, see Foreign Relations, 1915, supp., p. 436.



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