Paris Peace Conf. 840.014/3

The Assistant Secretary of the Commission to Negotiate Peace ( Harrison ) to the Secretary of State

Dear Mr. Secretary: In accordance with your instructions given out at this morning’s meeting, I beg to quote below the draft of the announcement which is to be made by the Commissioners, and which was submitted to the President yesterday.

It is my understanding that you intend to take this matter up at the meeting tomorrow, Sunday, with the British and French representatives, with the view to ascertain whether they propose to take the same or similar action in the matter.

The proposed announcement reads as follows:

“It has come to the attention of the American Commission to Negotiate Peace that force is still being resorted to for the purpose of securing an immediate realization of territorial ambitions. The American Commission desires, therefore, to make clear that the employment of force to create a ‘fait accompli’ may tend to raise rather than dispel doubts as to the justice of the territorial claims involved.”

Respectfully,

[File copy not signed]