PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON - DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENT SIGNED 07/28/1915 CO-SIGNED BY: ROBERT LANSING - HFSID 54980

WOODROW WILSON and ROBERT LANSING. Partly Printed DS: "Woodrow Wilson" as 28th U.S. President and "Robert Lansing" as Secretary of State, 1p, 16¾x13½. Washington, D.C., 1915 July 28. Appointment of Frederic R. Dolbeare of New York as Secretary of Embassy or Legation of Class four. In part: "Reposing special trust and confidence in your Integrity, Prudence and Ability, I do appoint you Secretary of Embassy or Legation of Class four of the United States of America, authorizing you hereby, to do and perform all such matters and things as to the said place or office do appertain, or as may be duly given you in charge hereafter, and the said office to hold and exercise during the pleasure of the President of the United States, for the time being, and until the end of the next session of the Senate of the United States and no longer...." WOODROW WILSON (1856-1924), who served as President from 1913-1921, signed this civil appointment less than three months after the sinking of the Lusitania, a large passenger liner that was sunk off the Irish coast by a German submarine on May 7, 1915. The ship sank in ten minutes, resulting in the loss of 1,198 passengers, including 128 Americans. That tragedy and the sinking of American merchant vessels by Germany made Wilson's position of neutrality difficult to maintain. Although many called for an immediate declaration of war, Wilson chose a diplomatic course, sending a series of letters that demanded that Germany refrain from such acts in the future and pay reparations. Although the furor over the Lusitania subsided, continued acts of German aggression eventually led to U.S. involvement in WWI.  On April 2, 1917, the President asked Congress to declare War on Germany. Wilson worked tirelessly for peace and for the creation of the League of Nations. ROBERT LANSING (1864-1928) served as Wilson's Secretary of State from 1915-1920. We have found reference to FREDERIC L. DOLBEARE (1919-1961) serving in diplomatic positions in Great Britain and central Europe. Worthy of further research. 3½-inch diameter paper seal affixed at lower left margin. Lightly creased with folds, not at signatures. Overall, fine condition. Framed to an overall size of 35½x24½.