Parts Peace Conf. 863.00/18
The Minister in Switzerland (
Stovall
) to the Commission to
Negotiate Peace
No. 53
Berne
, December
29, 1918.
Sirs: I have the honor to transmit herewith
for your information, copy of a note from the Swiss Political Department
dated December 27, 1918, suggesting at the request of the
German-Austrian Government that a mixed commission be established on
neutral territory, composed of representatives of the German-Austrian
Government and the Governments of the Associated Powers, to discuss
German-Austria’s desire for peace, the economic and ethnographic
conditions of their people and the international position of the new
German-Austrian State, as well as to demand support against the
imperialistic tendencies which are now manifesting themselves in the
territory of the ancient Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.
I beg to add that the substance of the enclosed communication has been
transmitted to the Department of State by cable.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]19
The Swiss Political
Department to the American Legation
in Switzerland
The Government of German Austria has communicated to the Swiss
Political Department, for the information of the Government of the
United States of America and the Governments of the Entente, the
following proposals:
The German Austrian Government, being convinced that a just
settlement of Austrian questions, so important to the general order
in Europe, cannot be obtained unless an opportunity is given to all
the interested peoples to state in detail their wishes and their
needs, expresses the desire that a mixed commission of the German
Austrian State enter into direct relations with a body representing
the United States of America and the Entente, or, if more agreeable,
that it meet on neutral territory with representatives of those
Governments. The German Austrian commission would have the task of
explaining the desire for peace in German Austria, the economic and
ethnographic conditions (Siedlungsverhältnisse) of the people
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and the international position of the
new German Austrian State, as well as to ask for support against the
imperialistic currents which are appearing in the territory of the
former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.
The Political Department would be greatly obliged to the Legation of
the United States of America if it would bring the foregoing to the
knowledge of its Government.
The Department takes this occasion [etc.]
Berne, December 27,
1918.
