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see Tumulty in order to discuss some plan <add>by</add> which the New York situation might be
properly adjusted. We decided it was best to have one man look into these
matters and report, and agreed on Frank Polk, Corporation Counsel.
The President asked me to see the British Ambassador this morning and
I arranged to meet him at Billy Phillips' residence at eleven. The President
desired me to tell him that he was anxious for the British Government to re-
lease the ships which are being held because of their supposed contraband car-
goes. The President and I had gone over a <sic>despatch</sic> which Johnson of the State
Department had prepared under the direction of Mr. Bryan to be sent to Ambassa-
dor Page at London. The <sic>despatch</sic> was crudely written and he said, "I can see
we will have to re-write this". He took his pencil and began to make corrections
Before he had finished one page he became thoroughly out of patience and threw
his pencil down saying, "It is not right to impose such a task upon me. They
have not written good and understandable English, much less writing it in a
way to avoid offence." He sent the document back to the State Department,
requesting me to see Spring-Rice and attend to the matter verbally, telling
him that the <sic>despatch</sic> would follow later.
I saw Spring-Rice and explained the matter to him and told him the
President was anxious for the release of the ships. He promised to cable Sir
Edward Grey and advise him to do so. I mentioned the crudity of the message
referred to and asked him to explain to Sir Edward that the intentions of the
State Department were of the best, but they did not understand the delicate
phrasing of important diplomatic messages. The Ambassador was pleasant about
it and said he liked Johnson and Lansing very much. He thought them both fine
fellows and he had no trouble in getting along with them.
He said if Sir Edward agreed to the President's request, it would make
two diplomatic triumphs for him, the first being his request regarding the De-
clartion of London. He thought when these papers were published, if they ever
were, they would be considered great accomplishments. But the British Govern-
| Title | ms_0466_s2_v2_255 |
| Transcript |
see Tumulty in order to discuss some plan |
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