Paris Peace Conf. 860h.00/9
The Minister in Switzerland ( Stovall ) to Colonel E. M. House
Dear Colonel House: When in Paris Mr. Wilson22a had a conversation with Captain Lippmann, concerning the question of the Yougo-Slavs and their junction with the kingdom of Serbia. This [Page 318] conversation took place shortly after the so-called “Geneva pact” by which six persons, three from the former Austro-Hungarian regions and three from old Serbia, were to constitute a provisional Government and obtain, if possible, recognition from the Allies on this basis. Details of this have already been sent on.
Within the last few days the press has brought the information that the National Council at Zagreb (Agram) has voted for a junction with the kingdom of Serbia, recognizing the reigning dynasty and naming the heir apparent as Regent of the countries formerly under Austro-Hungarian domination.
It has taken some time to ascertain the reasons which caused this action, which was so entirely contrary to the spirit in which the delegates were at the time of their conference with Pachitch at Geneva. I am now in receipt of information which I believe to be trustworthy to the effect that three reasons caused this change of orientation:
- 1.
- Pachitch is reported to have promised the Yougo-Slavs that if they fell in with his plans concerning the kingdom of Serbia he could guarantee the claims of the Yougo-Slavs against the Italians;
- 2.
- The peasant party, of which Raditch is the head, is growing in proportions which the Government consider alarming and which they fear might bring conditions of Bolshevism in the country and they felt it would be necessary to hunt a support outside.
- 3.
- The majority party, a Serbo-Croatian coalition of the moderate parties, was split with internal dissensions and could not count on or put maintenance [sic] on their own power.
An interesting detail concerning the fate of the Geneva pact is the report that the six men named as the coalition provisional government proceeded to Paris to present their report of the interview and their hopes for the future to M. Pichon. They were received courteously by the latter, who listened to their explanation and, when they finished, informed them that Pachitch had called on him half an hour previously and had stated that the whole Geneva pact was unreliable and that another solution must be sought.
Sincerely,
- Hugh R. Wilson, secretary of legation in Switzerland.↩