File No. 763.72119/265
The Ambassador in Germany ( Gerard ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 27, 7 p. m.]
4782. Referring to the Department’s circular of December 18,1 the following note was given to me by Zimmermann after lunching with me to-day: [Page 118]
Foreign Office, Berlin , December 26, 1916 .
With reference to the esteemed communication of December 21, Foreign Office Nr. 15118, the undersigned has the honor to reply as follows:
To His Excellency the Ambassador of the United States of America, Mr. James W. Gerard :
The Imperial Government has accepted and considered in the friendly spirit which is apparent in the communication of the President, noble initiative of the President looking to the creation of bases for the foundation of a lasting peace. The President discloses the aim which lies next to his heart and leaves the choice of the way open. A direct exchange of views appears to the Imperial Government as the most suitable way of arriving at the desired result. The Imperial Government has the honor, therefore, in the sense of its declaration of the 12th instant, which offered the hand for peace negotiations, to propose the speedy assembly, on neutral ground, of delegates of the warring states.
It is also the view of the Imperial Government that the great work for the prevention of future wars can first be taken up only after the ending of the present conflict of exhaustion. The Imperial Government is ready, when this point has been reached, to cooperate with the United States at this sublime task.
The undersigned, while permitting himself to have recourse to good offices of his excellency the Ambassador in connection with the transmission of the above reply to the President of the United States, avails himself of this opportunity to renew the assurances of his highest consideration.
Zimmermann