File No. 763.72119/706
The Minister in Denmark ( Egan ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 5, 4.30 a.m.]
963. Blankenstein, Holland correspondent located in Berlin, who passed through Copenhagen on his way to Petrograd about six weeks ago, returned to Copenhagen to-day. He stated that before going to Petrograd he had long conversation with Erzberger, Catholic member of Reichstag and unofficial representative of German Foreign Office. Erzberger urged him to endeavor to start peace negotiations. Arriving Stockholm, Blankenstein was approached by Austro-Hungarian Ambassador [Minister] with a view to making him the bearer of informal interchange of views between Austria-Hungary and Russia. Austrian Ambassador told him that his Government was very anxious to know the present Russian Government’s idea of peace arrangements with Austria-Hungary and asked Blankenstein to sound the Russians when he reached Petrograd. Blankenstein refused unless the request was in writing. The next day he [Page 157] received a letter from Austrian official at Stockholm (Blankenstein refused to say whether it was the Austro-Hungarian Legation or not but indicated that it was). Upon his [arrival] in Petrograd he had conversation with M. Lissakovski, representative of the Russian Foreign Office. This conversation happened to coincide with the publication of Chancellor Michaelis’s speech in Reichstag. Starting with preliminary statement that a meeting of a Council of the Ministers had been held that morning to discuss the matter, he dictated for publication vigorous reply to the Chancellor saying that peace was impossible as long as Michaelis talked in terms of victory, etc. A complete statement has already been published in Dutch papers. He added, not for publication but still dictating, that as far as peace with Austria-Hungary was concerned Russia was disinterested and wished to take nothing from Austria, but he stated that both Italy and Servia aimed at a dismemberment of Austria-Hungary and that treaties existed guaranteeing to these two countries certain parts of Austria-Hungary. Russia realized that these treaties could not be enforced except after a complete defeat of Austria-Hungary and was again disinterested in this respect. Concerning Belgium he stated that all the Russian people would insist on complete restoration by Germany.
Legation hopes to obtain further information from Blankenstein.