Paris Peace Conf. 184.01102/18
Professor A. C. Coolidge to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received January 28.]
Sirs: I have the honor to report that my stay of nearly five days here has now come to an end. My later impressions have confirmed those given in my dispatch of January 16th, and have strengthened them. I have seen many people, most of them highly competent on their subjects, and representing nearly every grade of political opinion [Page 375] from an archduke to a politician openly charged with Bolshevism. On foreign questions opinions are practically unanimous. There were very different views as to the past, the origin of the war, and the advisability of the policy followed by the Hungarian Government. But, on the one burning question of the day, the integrity of Hungary, there are almost no differences, except a greater or less insistence on the principle of a fair plebiscite and a willingness to abide by its result. I believe I have succeeded in eliciting information without expressing views of my own. I have continually insisted on the fact that there was nothing diplomatic in my mission, and that all official things must go through the regular channels. Nevertheless, I have not been able to prevent what seems to be a general feeling that this is the first chance that Hungarians have had of putting their views before the Allied powers and especially before America. As they look primarily to America for their salvation, I have been overwhelmed with visits, appeals, memoranda and attentions. These last have become embarrassing. For instance I have been obliged to appear on the balcony of the hotel and say a few colorless words to cheering crowds in the streets below. The position of both statesmen and people here is pathetic enough, and they are ready to clutch eagerly at every straw. Their faith in America, and particularly in President Wilson, is touching; and their expressions are I believe for the most part genuine. Count Karolyi told me that in a speech on January 1st he had declared his foreign policy could be summed up in three words: “Wilson, Wilson, Wilson”. There are many placards in the streets with President Wilson’s picture and the statement “We are for a Wilson peace only”. Today one of the ministers said to me “Our only hope is in God and President Wilson”. I shall report separately on several topics connected with my stay and leave others to Mr. Storey,74 who is to remain here after I depart and who will be able to take up the subjects with more deliberation.
I have [etc.]
- Charles M. Storey, member of the mission.↩