Robert Lansing to Woodrow Wilson

Owing to the mass of business which is accumulating and for the transaction of which it is necessary to confer with representatives of other departments, it has been deemed advisable to appoint an inter-departmental committee. So far, the only departments which have members on this committee are State, Justice, and Commerce, and it is impossible to get the other departments to take the initiative in appointing men to represent them on this committee. It has been thought advisable by the Attorney-General, the Secretary of Commerce, and myself, to bring about the completion of this committee by an executive order, a draft of which I enclose. There are many matters, such as censorship of mails, restrictions on entrance of aliens, regulations to govern exports under the bill pending in Congress, regulations to govern censorship of land and cable wires, etc., which, for their prompt displosition, require consultation with members of the departments concerned, not possible without a standing committee of subordinate officers authorized to present the views of their departments.
If you approve of the enclosed draft executive order, I would suggest that it be issued at the earliest possible moment, in order that the amount of pressing business which is increasing may be disposed of.