763.72/1758½
President Wilson to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I quite understand why a note about the detained ships cannot be made ready before the beginning of next week.
As to the request to Americans not to take passage on belligerent ships (for I agree with Mr. Lansing that it could be nothing more [Page 407] than a request), my feeling is this: the request is unnecessary, if the object is to save lives, because the danger is already fully known and those who do not refrain because of the danger will not, in all probability, refrain because we request them to do so; and this is not the time to make it, not only for the reason Mr. Lansing suggests, but also because, as I urged this morning, it weakens the effect of our saying to Germany that we mean to support our citizens in the exercise of their right to travel both on our ships and on belligerent. If I thought the notice necessary, or effective, to save lives, the second objection might be waived, but since I do not, I think the second objection ought to prevail.
Faithfully Yours,