Paris Peace Conf. 184.011102/505
Mr. Albert Halstead to the Secretary of State44
Subject: Dr. Bauer and the Austrian Red-Book.
Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch No. 11045 with regard to the Austrian Red-Book46 and to quote the following article from the Neue Tag of today. This article is particularly interesting in that it tends to confirm rumors that had not been credible, i. e. that Dr. Bauer had deliberately intended when the publication of the Red Book was arranged to clear Germany as far as possible from the charge of responsibility from the great war. The Neue Tag article explains Dr. Bauer’s attitude was due to his confident belief that Austria would be permitted to join Germany.
The Neue Tag article follows:
“At the time of the peace negotiations between the Entente and Germany Dr. Gooss by order of the Secretary Dr. Bauer went to Versailles to hand the head of the German delegation, Count Brockdorff-Rantzau, the legal documents which were published in the Red Book. These documents showed that responsibility for the war rested with Austria and not with Germany. They were handed to Rantzau that Germany might secure better terms. Count Rantzau made no use of the documents.
The information is actually true. Count Brockdorff-Rantzau as a good diplomat knew very well that to use the documents would make a bad impression on the Entente. But we are surprised to hear that Dr. Bauer, German Austrian Secretary of State, did such a thing as might have resulted in good terms for Germany but in worse for Austria. It is surely not possible that Dr. Bauer could have done that on purpose. It seems that he was convinced of annexation to Germany and that the Entente would permit it. But we must say that our policy never was lead in such a dilettante way as under Dr. Bauer’s control of foreign affairs”.
I have [etc.]