File No. 763.72/10001
The Minister in the Netherlands ( Garrett) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 17, 6.35 a.m.]
2638. German press summary regarding meeting of Emperors.1
Kölnische Zeitung, 15th: Conversations at headquarters which progressed so satisfactorily form, with settlement of fundamental principles for extension and deepening of alliance, the beginning of work of political, military and economic negotiations which will shortly commence in Berlin. Naturally political and military agreements can be concluded much sooner than economic agreements. Director Koernce, of Commercial Department of Foreign Office, will presumably conduct economic negotiations, which will take several months. Many reports from Vienna and Budapest papers give a false impression of conversations. Thus statement that new alliance will be incorporated in the constitutions of Allied Empires. Intention is to conclude political, military and economic treaties which form cohesive whole and will be signed at same time. Report that discussions at headquarters resulted in agreement on so-called Austrian solution of Polish question is wrong. From nature of matter the [Page 232] military and political guiding lines for future shape of alliance have already been worked out to some extent; the practical experiences of war have supplied rich material, for effective military cooperation in future and political experiences of war have been useful also. Name of League of Arms [sic] has been chosen for forthcoming military agreement.
Vorwärts, 15th, comments sarcastically on brevity of Emperor Charles’s stay at headquarters and fact that Wolff only quotes comment of [German?] Austrian papers on meeting and ignores Slavic papers.
Frankfurter Zeitung, 14th: New central Europe will not be able to make its way without hindrances and struggles, but underlying necessities of [case] are strong enough to overcome obstacles and when this war shall have been terminated by a peace which leaves Central Powers in possession of their rights, even the reluctant will be forced to recognize that course of world history cannot be arrested by stubborn protest.
- At Spa, May 12, 1918.↩