841.857/30½
President Wilson to the Secretary of State
Washington,
10 September, 1915.
My Dear Mr. Secretary: The only present comment necessary on these letters,53 obviously meant to be reassuring, is that my original error in speaking of “unarmed” vessels when I should have said “unresisting” is now rising up to embarrass us, for which I am very sorry.
The reply about the Arabic, if correctly outlined in the newspapers this morning, is not very promising of a fulfilment of what Bernstorff indicates as the attitude of his government in these letters.
Faithfully Yours,
W. W.