File No. 763.72/5971
The Ambassador in France ( Sharp) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 25, 3.05 a.m.]
2321. Section 2. Next to the actual participation of the United States in the war on the side of the Allies, certainly no other one thought has given so much satisfaction to the French Government as that of the prospect of America becoming an important factor in shaping the terms in the ultimate peace convention. At the very time that Lord Northcliffe was quoted as saying in substance, at a banquet in London soon after our entrance into the war, that he could not look with pleasure upon the United States taking part in such convention, Mr. Cambon was telling me at the Foreign Office, with unfeigned delight, of the satisfaction with which France hailed such a participation.
All the Allied lesser powers in Europe have voiced the same feeling, and with scarcely a. single exception the representatives of those countries have at different times expressed to me that view in the warmest terms.
Particularly among these latter powers the coming conference has excited much interest and some concern. Within the past few days the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Montenegrin Government came to ask if I would intercede to have my Government represent his country at the conference as he had been told that its desire for participation had not been favorably entertained. He expressed the gravest concern over a future autonomy of Montenegro on account of the ambitions of Servia. My reply that my own Government was not to be represented at the confederation [conference?] was a sufficient answer to his request.
The same day the Chinese Minister came to me to tell me that he looked with much anxiety in regard to the future policy of Japan [Page 147] towards his country, though he expressed the conviction that the recent rebellion in China was undoubtedly fomented by German intrigue. He stated that its early suppression served the double purpose of not only restoring stability to the country but prevented the Japanese Government from sending over troops on the plea of protecting its interests in China.
Later Mr. Roussos, the new Greek Minister to the United States, who sails this week, came in to pay his respects and during our brief conversation he told me that while matters looked now very favorable for improved conditions in his country, yet there were some differences existing between Greece and Italy growing out of the insistence of the latter to control that section of Greece through which [pass] the railroads for the movement of troops, Venizelos requesting that the civil Greek authorities be permitted to exercise control in that territory, not, however, thereby preventing the free use of the railroads to Italian troops.
Yesterday Mr. Vesnitch, the Servian Minister, very highly esteemed by his colleagues, came to my office to tell me that although his Government and that of Roumania and Greece had been invited to attend the conference in a consultative capacity, yet they had been given to understand that it was not expected that they would have a vote or be permitted to take any other action in effecting the decision of the conference. He had informed the Foreign Office that it was his intention to offer a protest to such action and was then awaiting the arrival of the Minister of the Foreign Office of the Servian Government to consult him upon what action to take. He in turn expressed to me much concern over the designs that Italy had toward his country. I know from previous statements made by him on other occasions that he has strong convictions as to the dangers and complications that may grow out of such designs. He showed much pleasure recently in telling me that he had been notified by his Government that it was planned to send a mission over to America of which he would be the head.
All my colleagues to whom I have referred, however, have with one common accord manifested the greatest faith in the good intentions of France.
I assume that the principal discussion at the conference itself—the object of which has been stated to be the consideration of the Balkan question—will center around the policy of maintaining the Allied forces at Salonica, concerning wisdom of which there has been at different times a good deal of doubt and dissatisfaction, chiefly growing out of the difficulties, I understand, of meeting the burdens which it involves in the employment of a large tonnage of ships.
[Page 148]It is my belief that France and England are now more in accord upon this matter than at the beginning of the Salonica movement, though it has been a heavy burden on England for the reason stated.
Russia will be represented by the Chargé d’Affaires and several officials who have been sent to Paris by the Provisional Government for that purpose. I am informed on good authority, however, that they have been instructed to only discuss Balkan affairs as they relate to maintaining the Salonica front.
I have given this general outline of some of the issues which may be raised and of the attitude of some of the participants in reference thereto in order to enable the Department to get some appreciation of the conditions which exist here on the eve of this conference, which is the first of the Allies to be held since the advent of the United States into the war and the Russian revolution.
Personally I believe that its deliberations will be characterized by great wisdom and harmony, for no matter what differences may exist among some of the powers, or concern as to their own particular interests, they all recognize the great necessity of presenting a united front with as little division as possible.