Office of the Historian

Paris Peace Conf. 182/5

Dr. S. E. Mezes to the Secretary of State

New York , November 9, 1917.
[Received November 10.]

Dear Mr. Secretary: I expect to spend next Monday and Tuesday, and if necessary, Wednesday and Thursday, in Washington, staying with Mr. Baruch at 1520–18th Street, telephone, North 8959. I shall get into touch with you regarding the matters mentioned in your favor of November 5th.

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I am enclosing a second draft giving an outline of the subjects to be dealt with in The Inquiry that seem to be most urgent.

Very sincerely yours,

S. E. Mezes
[Enclosure]

A Preliminary Brief Outline of the Subjects To Be Dealt With in the Inquiry

I.
Suppressed, Oppressed and Backward Peoples, etc. (e. g., Poles, Bohemians, Jugo-Slavs, African regions); in each case—
1.
Past and Present: History, Geography, (Races, Maps); Government and Politics, Social Status, Economics (business, agriculture), Strategy (chiefly to judge unfounded boundary claims).
2.
Serious Proposals for Future: By whom made (nations, parties, leaders) and why; light thrown on each by data in 1, especially as to whether it would tend to establish a suitable geographic and business unit (with needed access to sea and markets) and tend, by constitution or laws (granting independence, autonomy, or civil and cultural rights) to insure sufficient freedom, security, and where feasible, unity.
II.
International Business; Commercial Freedom and Equity.
1.
Physical bases; past and present operation and regulation; serious proposals analyzed. Straits, Canals, Rivers, Ports, Railways, Cables, Wireless, Aircraft (? ?).
2.
Tariff Studies; e. g., Universal Free Trade; Most Favored Nation treatment for (practically) all; Revenue Tariffs; Open Door; Fair Access to Raw Materials; “Key” Industries and Materials.
3.
Export of capital; concessions, spheres; facts and serious proposals.
III.
Studies in International Law
1.
Surveys of positions taken by Important Nations on timely questions; also positions of text writers on them.
2.
Serious proposals for vital changes analytically presented with forward outlook; by whom made and why; e. g., for
1.
Humanizing warfare on land, on sea, in air, (weapons, gasses, mines, submarines, etc.)
2.
The Freedom of the Seas.
3.
Limitation of Armaments on land and sea.
4.
Aid to workers on II above and IV below, and to other workers.
IV.
Analytical Presentation of Serious Proposals for organizing (giving structure to) a concert of the authority and force of mankind to insure a just and lasting peace.
V.
Restoration: Data and Estimates, insofar as, and if accessible.

Summaries of Important Divisions that Belong Together and General Summary.