File No. 763.72/2297
The Special Agent in Bulgaria (Einstein) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 7.]
Sir: Mr. Vopicka having telegraphed Dr. Radoslavoff, president of the Council and Minister for Foreign Affairs, to inform him of my appointment as Chargé d’Affaires on special mission at Sofia, in accordance with your telegraphic instructions of October 8 and 18,1 I have the honor to inform you of my arrival here on the 25th inst., having hastened my journey as much as possible in pursuance of the Department’s wishes.
My first visit here was on the chief of protocol at the Foreign Office who kindly arranged for my reception the same evening by Dr. Radoslavoff; the latter, to whom I presented Mr. Vopicka’s letter accrediting me as Chargé d’Affaires, received me with simplicity and cordiality. He conversed with me for some time on the prospects of peace, in bringing about which he thought the United States would play a considerable part. He remarked that even now peace currents were noticeable in every country and believed that before long the movement in its favor might become more accentuated. He spoke of Bulgaria’s reluctance at going to war and tried to impress on me that the necessity had been forced upon her.
We likewise conversed of the Armenian persecution where he spoke with sympathy of our efforts in behalf of the oppressed.
In common with the other Bulgarian officials I have met, he gave the impression of gratification at our being represented here. At Sofia they have always been inclined to resent the fact that Bucharest should be the seat of our Legation and thought with reason that as the capital of the most important country in the Balkans, they were entitled to separate representation. They regard as a sign of their growing importance the fact that both Spain and the United States should have sent them diplomatic representatives since the opening of hostilities and have interpreted my appointment as the initial step toward a later permanent representation by an accredited minister.
I met, in the course of my visits, the various departmental chiefs at the Foreign Office, all of whom received me with affability. The present war being the inevitable topic of conversation, anxiety was expressed to retain the good opinion of the United States. While, doubtless, this hardly extends beyond a certain platonic desire for our good will, there are, nevertheless, some farsighted enough to realize that the economic development of this country, which was suddenly arrested by the Balkan wars, can later be materially assisted by us. They appreciate our absence of political interest and that our aims here are moral and economic. The latter interests [Page 80] them more specially. Having shut the money markets of London and Paris by their entry on the side of the Central powers, they will require money with peace, which will be hard to find in Berlin or Vienna. The hope of placing future loans in New York, therefore, presents itself already to some, as an eventual possibility.
I have [etc.]