Inquiry files
Dr. S. E.
Mezes to Mr. Walter Lippmann
New York
, November
10, 1917.
Dear Mr. Lippmann: I have prepared a memorandum, which I
enclose, giving a rough and approximate outline of the subjects to be
dealt with in The Inquiry.5 I have included only those which seem
to be most urgent and am sending the outline to you for your
consideration and suggestion when we next meet. Naturally, it only can
embody a general scheme which, if finally accepted, should be kept in
mind in prosecuting individual inquiries, but should not be allowed to
interfere with the variations in treatment which the nature of each
inquiry, and even to some extent the personality of each inquirer, would
naturally render desirable. The outline is an attempt to summarize the
more important points of agreement that resulted from our various
conferences.
I think we made good progress at our meeting on Thursday, and have no
doubt that The Inquiry will continue satisfactorily. I am sending copies
of the memorandum to the other gentlemen who were present at the
meeting.
Sincerely yours,
[Enclosure 1]
A Preliminary Brief Outline of the Subjects To Be
Dealt With in the Inquiry
[Here follows text of the memorandum, which is identical with that
printed on page 15 except for the
addition of the following:]
VI. The Technique of Peace Conferences (so far as
accessible)
Provisions in general terms (that might keep the promise to our ear
and break it to our hope) and detailed provisions: Concurrent and
later action of sub-committees, and of commissions established by
conferences.
[Page 17]
[Enclosure 2]
Memorandum of Needs
I. Data and sane proposals regarding war-breeding
areas:
- 1.
- Alsace-Lorraine
- 2.
- Poland (including question of access to sea)
- 3.
- Lithuanian region
- 4.
- Czecho-Slovak (Bohemia, etc.)
- 5.
- Roumanian Irredentist areas.
- 6.
- Yugo-Slavia; 4, 5 and 6 possibly one study, i. e.,
Austro-Hungarian danger areas.
- 7.
- The Balkans (not Roumania, but Dobruja).
- 8.
- Italian Irredentist areas.
- 9.
- Turkey in Europe and Asia (including
Constantinople).
- 10.
- Aegean Islands and nearby Asiatic shores.
- 11.
- The Far East.
- 12.
- German colonies in Africa and the Pacific; nearby colonies
for comparison.
II. 1. Data (historical, including geographical,
governmental, economic, foreign relations) regarding important
nations.
2. National aspirations (political, territorial, economic) that must
or might well be reckoned with, their bases and relative
strength.
III. Examples, and sane suggestions, of types of
governmental arrangements for international areas, such as,
possibly, Dantzig, Trieste, Saloniki, Constantinople, all Turkey.
World organization, proposals that may be urged by responsible
men.
IV. Laws of war on sea and land: History, sane
proposals made.
V. Data regarding damage done on land and sea that
calls for reparation, its amount, and possible ways of making
reparation.
VI. Internationalized Trade Routes
VII. Business & Diplomacy
