File No. 763.72119/9110
The Special Representative ( House) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11.44 p.m.
85. For the President:
Mr. Clemenceau has just communicated to me the following reply sent by the German Government to the plenipotentiaries:
[Page 494]The Supreme Command of the German Army to the Plenipotentiaries at the High Command of the Allies:
The German Government communicates to the Supreme Command of the Army the following for Secretary of State Erzberger:
Your Excellency has full power to sign an armistice. Kindly make the following declaration in your procès verbal:
The German Government will undertake the execution of the conditions laid down with all its force but the undersigned consider it their duty to point out that the execution of certain points of the conditions will introduce famine into that part of Germany which is not to be occupied. The abandonment of all the stores of provisions in the regions to be evacuated which were destined for the feeding of troops, the curtailment of the means of operating the transport service, taking place at the same time as the limitation of transport service, the blockade remaining in force would render revictualing impossible as well as any organization for its distribution. The undersigned consequently ask for power to negotiate any modification of the points in question susceptible of rendering revictualing possible.
The Supreme Command of the German Army charges General von Winterfeldt to notify it of the signature of the armistice in referring to the points communicated this afternoon.
The German Government to the German Plenipotentiaries at the High Command of the Allies:
The German Government accepts the conditions of the armistice which have been submitted to it the 8th of November.
Signed, the Chancellor of the Empire.
Please acknowledge receipt.
Mr. Clemenceau informs me at the same time that he believes that we should consider this signature good in accepting the marginal note regarding revictualing. I have replied to Mr. Clemenceau that I entirely agree with him.