with the view to ascertaining whether the moment is not propitious for a negotiable end of the bloody struggle raging on earth.

Coming from the wise statesman who, in a period so critical for humanity, is placed at the head of the great American Republic, this humanitarian effort, dictated by a spirit of high political sagacity and looking to an honorable peace for all, can not but contribute greatly toward hastening re-establishment of normal life and assuring through a stable state of international relations the evolution of hu manity toward that progress wherein the United States of America always so largely shares.

[Here follows a recital of the trials Greece has suffered from the war.]

Such are the conditions in which your proposals find my country. This short and necessarily incomplete recital is not made with the purpose of criticism of the cruel blows at her sovereignty and neutrality from which Greece has been forced to suffer the effects. I have merely wished to show you, Mr. President, how much the soul of Greece at this moment longs for peace, and how much it appreciates your proposals, which constitute so important a step in the course of the bloody world tragedy of which we are witnesses.

CONSTANTINE.

Spanish Reply to President Wilson's Peace Note, December 30, 19161

His Majesty's Government has received through your embassy a copy of the note which the President of the United States has presented to the belligerent powers, expressing the desire that an early opportunity should be sought for obtaining from all the nations now at war a declaration as to their intentions so far as regards the bases upon which the conflict might be terminated. This copy is accompanied by another note, signed by yourself, and dated December 22, in which your embassy, in accordance with the instructions of your Government, says, in the name of the President, that the moment seems to be opportune for action on the part of his Majesty's Government, and that it should, if it thinks fit, support the attitude adopted by the Government of the United States.

With regard to the reasonable desire manifested by the latter Government to be supported in its proposition in favor of peace, the Gov

1Current History, New York, February, 1917, p. 792.

ernment of his Majesty, considering that the initiative has been taken by the President of the North American Republic, and that the diverse impressions which it has caused are already known, is of opinion that the action to which the United States invites Spain would not have efficacy, and the more so because the Central Empires have already expressed their firm intention to discuss the conditions of peace solely with the belligerent powers.

Fully appreciating that the noble desire of the President of the United States will always merit the gratitude of all nations, the Government of his Majesty is decided not to dissociate itself from any negotiation or agreement destined to facilitate the humanitarian work which will put an end to the present war, but it suspends its action, reserving it for the moment when the efforts of all those who desire peace will be more useful and efficacious than is now the case, if there should then be reasons to consider that its initiative or its intervention would be profitable.

Until that moment arrives the Government of his Majesty regards it as opportune to declare that in all that concerns an understanding between the neutral powers for the defense of their material interests affected by the war, it is disposed now, as it has been since the beginning of the present conflict, to enter into negotiations which may tend toward an agreement capable of uniting all the non-belligerent powers which may consider themselves injured or may regard it as necessary to remedy or diminish such injuries.

Declaration of Premier Radoslavoff in the Bulgarian Sobranje,
December 30, 19161

I can assure you that Bulgaria's work has been brought to a successful conclusion. To those who assert that we are asking too much I reply that we are no Chauvinists, but that we are aware of the aspirations of the Bulgarian people. You know from the Royal Manifesto issued when war was declared what Bulgarian aspirations are. I am not obliged to reply to each speaker individually.

[Dr. Radoslavoff declared that the peace proposals had been received with enthusiasm in neutral countries. Besides Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries, he understood that Holland and Spain were preparing to support the démarche of President Wilson. Bulgaria's

1The Times, London, January 2, 1917.

alliance with the Central Empires and Turkey had not weakened. They were ready to conclude peace because they wished to see an end of war. They would make concessions in the name of humanity and for the welfare of all nations.]

Austro-Hungarian Reply to the Scandinavian Peace Note, January 1, 19171

The Austro-Hungarian Government is glad to state that its views in this matter agree with yours. It has sympathetically accepted President Wilson's suggestions, and therefore with satisfaction sees Sweden, Denmark, and Norway support President Wilson's initiative.

Statement of Emile Vandervelde, Belgian Minister of State, on the Peace Proposals2

From clandestine inquiries which I have been able to make among the popular leaders in the occupied part of Belgium since the publication of the German peace proposals I believe that the Belgian people are in complete accord with their Government in the attitude it has assumed towards the Chancellor's note. There must be no annexation if the peace following this war is to prevent other wars. That is one of the reasons why it would be futile even to comment upon the suggestion from German sources that the Germans are willing to abandon Belgium in exchange for the Belgian Congo.

There is no complaint of your President's action among the Belgian people. We believe that Mr. Wilson acted wholly in the spirit of humanitarianism, and that the steps he has taken will help rather than harm our cause. A comparison of the Allies' expression of views and our enemies will suffice, I think, to convince the United States of the insincerity of Germany's attitude and the impossibility of discussing her present proposals.

It is very possible, however, that as her need for peace, which I believe to be very great, grows more pronounced, Germany will come.

1The New York Times, January 2, 1917. See footnote, ante, p. 33.

2The Times, London, January 9, 1917.

forward with more reasonable proposals. It would then become necessary for us to scrutinize such future offers as closely as we have those already formulated and declined.

The incredible, brutal slave traffic in which the Germans are now engaged in Belgium, against which your Government has raised its voice, has only served to increase my compatriots' horror of a peace. imposed by Berlin.

Chinese Reply to President Wilson's Peace Note, January 9, 19171 Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State

[TELEGRAM]

AMERICAN LEGATION, Peking, January 9, 1917.

Minister for Foreign Affairs has written as follows in answer to my note transmitting the President's note to the belligerent powers: "I have examined, with the care which the gravity of the questions raised demands, the note concerning peace which President Wilson has addressed to the Governments of the Allies and the Central Powers now at war and the text of which Your Excellency has been good enough to transmit to me under instructions of your Government.

"China, a nation traditionally pacific, has recently again manifested her sentiments in concluding treaties concerning the pacific settlement of international disputes, responding thus to the (. peace conferences held at The Hague.

.) of the

"On the other hand the present war, by its prolongation, has seriously affected the interests of China more so perhaps than those of other powers which have remained neutral. She is at present at a time of reorganization which demands economically and industrially the cooperation of foreign countries, cooperation which a large number of them are unable to accord on account of the war in which they are engaged.

"In manifesting her sympathy for the spirit of the President's note, having in view the ending as soon as possible of the hostilities, China

is but acting in conformity with not only her interest but also with her profound sentiments.

"On account of the extent which modern wars are apt to assume and the repercussion which they bring about, their effects are no longer limited to belligerent states. All countries are interested in seeing wars becoming as rare as possible. Consequently China can not but show satisfaction with the views of the Government and people of the United States of America who declare themselves ready and even eager to cooperate when the war is over by all proper means to assure the respect of the principle of the equality of nations whatever their power may be and to relieve them of the peril of wrong and violence. China is ready to join her efforts with theirs for the attainment of such results which can only be obtained through the help of all."

REINSCH.

Entente Reply to President Wilson's Peace Note, January 10, 19171 Ambassador Sharp to the Secretary of State

[TELEGRAM]

AMERICAN EMBASSY, Paris, January 10, 1917.

The following is the translation of the French note:

"The Allied Governments have received the note which was delivered to them in the name of the Government of the United States on the nineteenth of December, 1916. They have studied it with the care imposed upon them both by the exact realization which they have of the gravity of the hour and by the sincere friendship which attaches them to the American people.

"In general way they wish to declare that they pay tribute to the elevation of the sentiment with which the American note is inspired and that they associate themselves with all their hopes with the project for the creation of a league of nations to insure peace and justice throughout the world. They recognize all the advantages for the cause of humanity and civilization which the institution of international agreements, destined to avoid violent conflicts between nations would prevent; agreements which must imply the sanctions necessary to insure their execution and thus to prevent an apparent security from only facilitating new aggressions. But a discussion of future arrange1Official print of the Department of State.