File No. 763.72119/10094
The Ambassador in Austria-Hungary ( Penfield ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 15, 7 a.m.]
1757. I have lost no time in further discussing with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, with secrecy and circumspection, the subject of your confidential instructions contained in telegrams 1566, February 22, and 1580, March 3. The Minister is keenly alive to the matter and four times has been in conference with me at my house. Naturally he has discussed matter with his Emperor, with whom he has been two days’ visit to Hungary. To-day I have been with Count Czernin for an hour and in that time he announced a dozen times that a separate peace is out of the question. He gives me his complete confidence and he does not hesitate to speak feelingly of the good offices you are willing to use on Austria-Hungary’s behalf. The subjoined is an exact translation of a memorandum to-day handed me by Count Czernin made in his presence and read to him.
Count Czernin repeats that he is disposed to enter upon conversations to end the war on condition that it is a question of a general peace and not a separate peace. It is absolutely out of the question to separate Austria-Hungary from her allies the Minister asserts with emphasis. Count Czernin states that he is convinced that none [Page 66] of the belligerent groups will be able to destroy its adversaries and that consequently it would appear desirable to put an end to slaughter which in any case will end sooner or later in an honorable peace for all the belligerents.
If the Entente maintains its proposal to enter upon free conversations which in every case must exclude a separate peace with Austria-Hungary, Count Czernin would be disposed to send a man in his confidence to a neutral country to meet a representative of the Entente. The two gentlemen would discuss secretly and freely the basis and the conditions of negotiations for peace.
Furthermore Count Czernin has proposed that his representative as well as a representative of the Entente could meet on neutral territory to discuss there the lot of the prisoners of war, their exchange within possible limits, as well as other similar questions.
The matter is of such moment that Count Czernin asks what Entente belligerent is making the overture upon which your telegrams are based.
I have omitted nothing that might forward the instructions under which I have been working. No offer at this time can induce the Minister to debate any arrangement meaning a breaking away from Austria’s allies. There are rumors of Austria-Hungary’s tiring of the overlordship of Berlin, but fear alone is enough to stifle any governmental expression of this.