763.72111/4470½
President Wilson to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: This is, to my mind, quite the most puzzling and difficult question we have had to deal with.78 It is becoming pretty clear to me that the British are going beyond the spirit, at any rate, of the principles hitherto settled in regard to this matter and that the method in which their ship captains are instructed to use their guns has in many instances gone beyond what could legitimately be called defense. It appears that they have more than once attacked. The question is more whether their guns have been used only for defense than whether they exceed in calibre what would reasonably constitute armament for defense and whether their being mounted in the bow is a presumption that they are to be used for offense. I would be glad to know the progress of your own thought in this matter.
Faithfully Yours,
- i. e., the activities of armed merchant ships.↩