WE, LIKE THE ENGLISH, ARE PLANNING TO DOMINATE EVERYTHING AND TO OUST EVERYBODY WILSON, WOODROW. Typed Letter Signed, as President, to former Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission Edward N. Hurley, suggesting that nothing be said about U.S. plans for shipping after the War in order to prevent reinforcing the impression on the part of the British that the Americans are planning to dominate global commercial shipping at the expense of everyone else. 1½ pages, 4to, White House stationery, written on two sheets; few small punch holes along upper edge, short tear with minor loss to left edge of first page, faint scattered soiling, horizontal folds. Washington, 29 August 1918 The English . . . are making a great many determined efforts to see to it not only that they are not put at an economic disadvantage after the war, but that they secure now by as tight arrangements as possible every economic advantage that is within their reach. . . . [O]ur shipbuilding programme will give us a very considerable advantage over them in the carrying trade, and therefore in world commerce, after the struggle is over. . . . [I]t is wise for us not to talk now or publicly plan now the use we shall make of our shipping after the war, because while it is true, contrary to the English impression, that we do not intend to seek any unfair advantage of any kind or to shoulder anybody out, but merely to give the widest possible currency to our own goods, the impression made by past utterances has been that we, like the English, are planning to dominate everything and to oust everybody we can oust. . . ."