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A week after the break with Germany, I sent the following to the General Board:

February 10, 1917.

To: The General Board.

Subject: Solution of Problem.

1. The Department desires the General Board to consider the following problem and submit its solution as soon as practicable:

Problem

General situation—Conditions as at present except that war with Germany is declared.

Special situation—The Allies do not desire our battleship force at present.

Required—Naval estimate of the situation: first, as to the grand strategy demanded by the situation; second, as to the disposition of the battleship force; third, as to the method of assisting in maintaining communications with Europe, including scheme for coöperation with Allies; fourth, as to method of driving submarines from the sea.

Assume—Mobilization of all naval vessels and possibility of mobilizing merchant vessels as required.

Josephus Daniels.

Anti-submarine warfare, coöperation with the Allies, was the keynote of all our plans, as of this "problem," the solution of which the General Board submitted on February 17. We were then, as always, planning "for the joint protection of trans-Atlantic commerce," as the Board expressed it, "and for offensive naval operations against the common enemy."