763.72/1752a
The Secretary of State to President Wilson
My Dear Mr. President: I am so fearful of the embarrassment which the Jingoes will cause by assuming that your note means war—an interpretation which might affect the tone of Germany’s reply as well as make it more difficult to postpone final settlement that I venture to suggest the propriety of meeting the issue now by a statement given out at the time the protest is published or before.
To explain what I mean I give the following—not as a draft of such notice or interview but as an illustration: The words “strict accountability” having been construed by some of the newspapers to mean an immediate settlement of the matter, I deem it fitting to say that that construction is not a necessary one. In individual matters friends sometimes find it wise to postpone the settlement of disputes until such differences can be considered calmly and on their merits.
[Page 401]So it may be with nations. The United States and Germany, between whom there exists a long standing friendship, may find it advisable to postpone until peace is restored any disputes which do not yield to diplomatic treatment.
Germany has endorsed the principle of investigation embodied in the thirty treaties signed with as many nations. These treaties give a year’s time for the investigation and apply to all disputes of every character. From this nation’s standpoint, there is no reason why this policy should not control as between the United States and Germany. I believe such a statement would do great good—
With assurances [etc.]