File No. 763.72119/435
The Ambassador in Austria-Hungary ( Penfield) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 29, 8 a.m.]
1666. My telegram 1662, January 25, 7 p.m. I have received following letter from Minister President, Count Tisza, dated Budapest, January 25:
May I draw your attention in a quite private and confidential way to my declaration made in the House of Commons yesterday concerning the address of President Wilson. Its two essential points are:
First, that the conditions of peace as sketched in the answer of our enemies involve the mutilation and humiliation of Germany and the dismemberment of Austria-Hungary and of Turkey; they are equivalent to a war of destruction, compel us to fight for existence with the utmost energy and are in flagrant contradiction with the views of President Wilson about the peace to be concluded.
Secondly, that the ideal of the free development of all nations in states having their national character cannot be realized in countries with a mixed population. Especially in the southeast of Europe no other solution would approach this ideal so near as the political system of the dual monarchy.
You would render a great service to the mutual good understanding between our countries and the cause of peace if you could bring these facts nearer to the minds of the responsible statesmen and the public of the United States.