File No. 763.72119/194
The Ambassador in Austria-Hungary (Penfield) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 13, 8.25 a. m.]
1572. To Secretary and President: Minister for Foreign Affairs sent for me this morning to give me advance information that to-morrow there will issue from Vienna, Berlin, Sofia, and Constantinople an identic appeal to Entente powers to arrange a conference for discussion of terms of peace. For two months Baron Burian has worked on project and measure is wholly his own. He stated that it must be apparent that Central powers can not be defeated; hence why continue a struggle ruinous in blood and money. Baron Burian pointed to Roumania as object lesson in punishment for fighting Central powers. He says his measure will be powerful appeal to humanity and will gain converts among people in Entente countries, even if failing to bring early peace.
Minister for Foreign Affairs gives me first information because American Government in Entente countries aside from Italy is charged with Austro-Hungarian interests. He promises to give me at 11 a. m. to-morrow full text of document. It comes in French and plans are made for speedy translation and encoding for transmission to Washington.