File No. 763.72119/265.

Ambassador Gerard to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram-Paraphrase.]

AMERICAN EMBASSY,

Berlin, December 26, 1916.

Mr. Gerard reports receipt of a note from the German Foreign Office, dated December 26, 1916, as follows:

"FOREIGN OFFICE,

"Berlin, December 26, 1916. "With reference to the esteemed communication of December 21, Foreign Office No. 15118, the undersigned has the honor to reply as follows: To His Excellency the Ambassador of the United States of America, Mr. James W. Gerard.

"The Imperial Government has accepted and considered in the friendly spirit which is apparent in the communication of the President, noble initiative of the President looking to the creation of bases for the foundation of a lasting peace. The President discloses the aim which lies next to his heart and leaves the choice of the way open. A direct exchange of views appears to the Imperial Government as the most suitable way of arriving at the desired result. The Imperial Government has the honor, therefore, in the sense of its declaration of the 12th instant, which offered the hand for peace negotiations, to propose the speedy assembly, on neutral ground, of delegates of the warring States.

"It is also the view of the Imperial Government that the great work for the prevention of future wars can first be taken up only after the ending of the present conflict of exhaustion. The Imperial Government is ready, when this point has been reached, to cooperate with the United States at this sublime task.

"The undersigned, while permitting himself to have recourse to good offices of His Excellency the Ambassador in connection with the transmission of the above reply to the President of the United States, avails himself of this opportunity to renew the assurances of his highest consideration.

"ZIMMERMANN."

File No. 763.72119/275.

Ambassador Elkus to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

AMERICAN EMBASSY, Constantinople, December 26, 1916.

In reply to the President's message communicated to the Sublime Porte on the 23d instant, Minister for Foreign Affairs handed me to-day a note of which the following is a translation:

"MR. AMBASSADOR: In reply to the note which Your Excellency was pleased to deliver to me under date of the twenty-third instant, number 2107, containing certain

suggestions of the President of the United States, I have the honor to communicate to Your Excellency the following:

"The generous initiative of the President, tending to create bases for the reestablishment of peace, has been received and taken into consideration by the Imperial Ottoman Government in the same friendly obliging (?) which manifests itself in the President's communication. The President indicates the object which he has at heart and leaves open the choice of that path leading to this object. The Imperial Government considers a direct exchange of ideas as the most efficacious means of attaining the desired result.

"In conformity with its declaration of the twelfth of this month, in which it stretched forth its hand for peace negotiations, the Imperial Government has the honor of proposing the immediate meeting, in a neutral country, of delegates of the belligerent powers.

"The Imperial Government is likewise of opinion that the great work of preventing future wars can only be commenced after the end of the present struggle between the nations. When this moment shall have arrived the Imperial Government will be pleased collaborate with the United States of America and with the other neutral powers in this sublime task.

Following, dated December 26, received to-day from Austro-Hungarian Ministry for Foreign Affairs:

"AIDE MEMOIRE.

"In reply to the aide memoire communicated on the 22d instant by His Excellency the American Ambassador, containing the proposals of the President of the United States of America for an exchange of views among the powers at present at war for the eventual establishment of peace, the Imperial and Royal Government desires. particularly to point out that in considering the noble proposal of the President it is guided by the same spirit of amity and complaisance as finds expression therein.

"The President desires to establish a basis for a lasting peace without wishing to indicate the ways and means. The Imperial and Royal Government considers a direct exchange of views among the belligerents to be the most suitable way of attaining this end. Adverting to its declaration of the 12th instant, in which it announced its readiness to enter into peace negotiations, it now has the honor to propose that representatives of the bellig

erent powers convene at an early date at some place on neutral ground.

"The Imperial and Royal Government likewise concurs in the opinion of the President that only after the termination of the present war will it be possible to undertake the great and desirable work of the prevention of future wars. At an appropriate time it will be willing to cooperate with the United States of America for the realization of this noble aim."

PENFIELD.

File No. 763.72119/362.

No. 1208.]

Minister Price to the Secretary of State.

[Extract.]

AMERICAN LEGATION, Panama, December 26, 1916. SIR: I have the honor to report that I addressed a note to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Panama. transmitting the note of President Wilson to the Central and Entente Powers, and I am now in receipt of an acknowledgment of the same, a copy and translation of which I enclose.

I have, etc.,

WM. JENNINGS PRICE.

[Inclosure Translation.]

No. S-670.] PANAMA, December 26, 1916. MR. MINISTER: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of the important note, F. O. No. 357, of the 20th instant, in the body of which Your Excellency kindly quotes the text of the extensive and, if I may thus express it, now historic communication which His Excellency, the President of the United States of North America has directed to the Entente Powers and to the Central Powers, for the purpose of guiding to an end the horrible sacrifice of which the European Continent is now in great part the scene.

The altruistic attitude assumed by His Excellency, President Wilson, is worthy of the admiration and acknowledgment of all the nations of the world, belligerents as well as neutrals. Panama, in particular, applauds with enthusiasm his noble achievement, which is inspired with superior ideals of peace and justice, and receives with sympathy his commendable words which predicate respect to the rights and privileges of small nations and weak peoples against the transgressions and aggressions of the strong.

This Republic views with satisfaction the beautiful spectacle offered to the world by the Federal American Union in unfurling with courage the banner of peace and proclaiming, by means of the exchange of ideas at the present time, the undying desire for Justice and Right;

and hopes that benefits which should result from this wise policy may not have long to wait.

I approve this opportunity to reiterate to Your Excellency the assurances of my high esteem and disguished consideration.

NARCISO GARAY.

File No. 763.72119/262.

Memorandum from the Legation of Switzerland.

LEGATION OF SWITZERLAND,

Received December 27, 1916.

TEXT OF NOTE OF SWISS FEDERAL COUNCIL, OF DECEMBER 23, 1916, ADDRESSED TO ALL BELLIGERENTS (NOT YET COMMUNICATED TO NEUTRALS).

The President of the United States of America, with whom the Swiss Federal Council, guided by its warm desire that the hostilities may soon come to an end, has, for a considerable time, been in touch, had the kindness to apprise the Federal Council of the peace note sent to the governments of the Central and Entente Powers. In this note President Wilson discusses the great desirability of international agreements for the purpose of avoiding more effectively and permanently the occurrence of catastrophes such as the one under which the peoples are suffering to-day. In this connection he lays particular stress on the necessity for bringing about the end of the present war. Without making peace proposals himself or offering mediation, he confines himself to sounding as to whether mankind may hope to have approached the haven of peace.

The most meritorious personal initiative of President Wilson will find a mighty echo in Switzerland. True to the obligations arising from observing the strictest neutrality, united by the same friendship with the States of both warring groups of Powers, situated like an island. amidst the seething waves of the terrible world war, with its ideal and material interests most sensibly jeopardized and violated, our country is filled with a deep longing for peace, and ready to assist by its small means to stop the endless sufferings caused by the war and brought before its eyes by daily contact with the interned, the severely wounded and those expelled, and to establish the foundations for a beneficial cooperation of the peoples.

The Swiss Federal Council is therefore glad to seize the opportunity to support the efforts of the President of the United States. It would consider itself happy if it could act in any, no matter how modest a way, for the rapprochement of the peoples now engaged in the struggle, and for reaching a lasting peace.

File No. 763.72119/285.

No. 156.]

Minister Morris to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

AMERICAN LEGATION, Stockholm, December 29, 1916. Referring Department's circular twentieth.

Minister Foreign Affairs has given me following note, copies of which he informs me have been sent to Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian Ministers at Berlin, Constantinople, London, Paris, Petrograd, Rome, Vienna, to tender to governments to which they are accredited:

"It is with the greatest interest that the Royal Government has learned of the proposals which the President of the United States has just made with a view to facilitating the measures tending towards a lasting peace. While remaining desirous of avoiding all intrusion which could injure legitimate sentiments the Government of the King would consider itself lacking in its duties towards its own people and towards humanity itself if it did not express the most profound sympathy with all the efforts which could contribute to put an end to the progressive accumulation of sufferings and of losses, moral and material. The Royal Government earnestly hopes that the initiative of President Wilson will terminate in a result worthy of the noble spirit with which he is inspired."

MORRIS.

File No. 763.72119/345.

Memorandum from the Legation of Sweden.

(Received) December 30, 1916. [Translation.]

TEXT OF NOTE DELIVERED BY HIS SWEDISH MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE BELLIG

ERENT NATIONS.

It is with the keenest interest that the Government of the King learned the proposition just made by the President of the United States with a view to facilitating measures tending to the establishment of lasting peace while desiring to avoid any interference that might hurt legitimate feelings. The Government of the King would consider itself remiss in its duty to its own people and the whole of mankind if it should fail to express its most profound sympathy with every effort that might contribute to bringing to an end the progressive accumulation of suffering and moral and physical losses. It indulges the hope that the initiative of President Wilson will end in a result worthy of the lofty spirit by which he was inspired.