Colonel House to Woodrow Wilson

I am afraid I did not express my convictions very forcefully the other day when we talked of the Collectorship.
Your concern over the situation caused me to want to bring about a solution that was, for the moment, less troublesome to you, and therefore I advised referring the matter back to the two gentlemen at difference.
I am afraid that would be a mistake. If I were you I would name Polk. I believe that to do less would be construed as an unwillingness to confront the issue which the Senator from New York has raised.
Your mastery of Congress depends largely upon your maintaining that unflinching courage which our people rightly appreciate and which has made you the dominating figure upon this Continent.
You are clearly within your rights and I would not temporize with a situation that must be met either now or later, and reasons will occur to you why you should not postpone the seemingly inevitable.