File No. 763.72119/915
The Minister in Denmark ( Grant-Smith) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 31, 1.10 a.m.]
1509. Since I felt certain it would be in harmony with the Department’s ideas, I have ventured to telegraph as follows to the Embassy at Petrograd:
October 27, 4 p.m. According to information received Germany is keen to make a separate peace with Russia, if only a temporary one, of sufficient duration, it is frankly said, for the exchange of prisoners after which she is indifferent as to Russia’s attitude. Her present intention is undoubtedly to make Russia pay for [what] she and her allies may lose elsewhere.
The Red Cross Conference between Russia, Rumania and the Central powers, now in progress here, is being used to cover the exchange of officers on various pretexts in case a temporary peace should not be arranged. The subject of a peace has been broached in the conference but it is mere discussion, not [authorized] at least not openly.
Does the Department desire that we should send them cipher copies of the Legation’s telegrams to the Department relative to the conference?