File No. 860c.01/90
The Counselor for the Department of State ( Polk) to the French Ambassador ( Jusserand)
My Dear Mr. Ambassador: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of March 8, 1918, in which you inform me of the opinion of your Government that the Allied Powers should not, without uttering a joint protest, witness the events which tend to culminate in another partition of Poland and to deliver up to Austro-German domination integrant parts of that ancient Kingdom, and in which you inquire whether the Government of the United States would not be disposed to join in a declaration, a draft of which you enclose. I have with interest noted your statement that the early publication of such a document is regarded by your Government as extremely advisable.
In reply, I take pleasure in informing you that the Government of the United States fully concurs in the opinion of the Government of France that the publication of such a statement is desirable at the present time and is disposed to join with the Governments of its co-belligerents in a declaration similar to the one which you have been good enough to bring to my attention.
I venture to transmit to you herewith a draft of such a declaration in a form which would be satisfactory to this Government, having slightly modified the last paragraph to read as follows:
They again proclaim their resolution to pursue the creation of an independent autonomous and free Poland capable of insuring its independent, economic and political development, with access to the sea.
I am [etc.]