File No. 763.72/8046
The Minister in Denmark ( Egan ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 10, 5.26 p.m.]
1682. Legation’s 1679, December 7, 4 p.m.4 The German press has devoted little comment to the President’s speech5 compared [Page 468] with that made on his answer to the Pope. The debates in the Prussian Diet printed in full and the heated press discussion thereon occupy an overwhelming proportion of newspaper space. Vorwärts prints practically complete text while other papers more or less full résumés. Such important north German paper as Weser Zeitung has printed no comment whatever.
Hamburgischer Correspondent, 7th: Wilson’s speech has single purpose, to preserve America’s reputation. Publication Petrograd archives show that Entente pursuing selfish and predatory purpose, only America holds aloof, but such combination impossible and should Allies be able dictate peace, each would be paid according to political aims. Wilson must permit us to ask how he intends to prevent this as he pretends to desire. Our enemies never entered war for aims like Wilson’s and, if victorious, would never be satisfied with them, and Wilson would be empowered [sic] unless he wished to turn arms against Allies. Wilson in Buffalo told workers our advance in east was no longer peacefully commercial but military political. Is prevention of alleged control over Austria and Balkans a new American war aim? But main question remains, does Wilson want peace to-day or to-morrow? He answers tomorrow, but only if present German rulers are smashed, which will never happen, and bloodletting must continue indefinitely until Wilson perhaps finds himself fighting alone.
Hamburger Echo, 7th: His speech culminated in words, we wish to know nothing of peace till the German military power has been struck to earth. Whole speech as given by Reuter equally clumsy. Concerning “the noisily thoughtless and troublesome”: Contradicts completely assertion that whole nation agrees with his intentions, for which American people must learn Wilson’s and his clique’s true intentions. President’s arrogance and intentional unclearness evidenced by sentences beginning: “We are the spokesmen, etc.” Nothing in speech to prove Germany broke peace and as little to show what are aims to be won by weapons unless they are in Wilson’s declaration that first Germany’s masters must be struck down or Germany shut out from peaceful intercourse between peoples and, secondly, German people after their being conquered must choose representatives who can be trusted and who will submit to general judgement of nations as to future fundaments for laws and treaties. Scornful laughter is only answer to such war aims. Internal effect in America chief aim of speech. Zimmermann’s offer to Mexico and other acts of former German diplomacy gave him excellent chance for incitement against Germany. Continued defeats of Allies will weaken unhealthy influence of western capitalistic Republic which can be fully broken only if Germany destroys bad reputation resulting [Page 469] from our own fault and foreign slander, and by peace in the east setting limit to Europe’s self-mutilation from which America only profits.
Hamburger Nachrichten, 7th, says: One possibly sensible thought in Wilson’s speech when he calls no annexations, no indemnities, an unripe formula, but he speaks of peace grounded on generosity and justice and then wishes to bring credible representatives of German people to repentance for alleged “injustice of its rulers.” Wilson compelled to say rehearse [reverse?] of truth to people since American financiers, on [whom] whole absolutely depends, have speculated falsely in investing billions in Entente’s war venture, and wish to save what is possible by staking whole country and simultaneously to prepare against Japan. Wilson must attempt justify himself somewhat by talking about defeating autocracy and about peace based on generosity and justice.
Kieler Neueste, 8th, says: Brusqueness indicates Wilson’s policy. American gold sacks not yet full enough. What wonderful business for the Union’s trust magnates to profit by general European lack of material. Wilson says he can only regard war won when Germany represented in America by believable representatives who agree to peace founded on justice and repentance for “injustice” of its rulers. For all who can judge Wilson’s impertinencies merely sign of how low Allied stock is. Article indulges in particularly vitriolic attacks on President and America in general.
- Not printed.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1917, pp. ix–xvi.↩