763.72119/2024a
The Secretary of State to President Wilson
My Dear Mr. President: It has occurred to me that the entire collapse of Bulgaria and the complete submission to the terms demanded for an armistice may create a situation which will require action.
It is possible that the Allied Governments may consider the time is opportune to negotiate with Bulgaria a definitive treaty of peace in order to forestall a possibly too generous treatment when the final peace is made. I believe that Serbia and Greece would favor a settlement of the Balkan Question now while Bulgaria is helpless, and that Roumania would not be loath to such an arrangement.
As we are not at war with Bulgaria, the Allies may take the position that a separate peace treaty with her is not our affair and that they can conclude it independently going as far as they please in drawing the boundaries of the Balkan States. If they do this there will be the future embarrassment of revising such a conqueror’s peace. It will be hard to do it. And if it is harsh and unjust (as is very possible), it will not make for permanent peace.
In the circumstances ought we not to consider the advisability of intervening with the Powers and of insisting that as the Balkan Question must be included in the final settlement, all questions relating to territory in those regions should be, by agreement in the separate peace treaty, postponed for consideration to the general peace conference?
I am very fearful that now that Bulgaria is powerless the old political game in the Balkans will be renewed, and that the same pernicious jealousies, which prevented the kingdom from remaining neutral, if not friendly, will start the victors to quarreling again. If this can be prevented it ought to be because the consequences might be very serious.
We could act on the Bulgarian appeal to you for mediation, or we could act on the principle that no treaty relating to territory should be recognized if negotiated during the war but should be treated as the Brest-Litovsk and Bucharest Treaties will be treated.
If anything is to be done to anticipate an undesirable treaty with Bulgaria by the Allies, it will have to be done quickly, I think, if it is to be effective. It would be difficult to face a fait accompli.
Faithfully yours,