Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1918, Supplement 1, The World War, Volume I

File No. 763.72119/2113

The Swiss Chargé ( Oederlin) to President Wilson

Washington, October 6, 1918.

Mr. President: I have the honor to transmit herewith, upon instructions from my Government, the original text off a communication from the German Government, received by this Legation late this afternoon, from the Swiss Foreign Office.

An English translation of this communication is also enclosed. The German original text, however, is alone to be considered as authoritative.

Please accept [etc.]

F. Oederlin

[Enclosure—Translation]

The German Imperial Chancellor ( Max of Baden) to President Wilson

The German Government requests the President of the United States of America to take steps for the restoration of peace, to notify all belligerents of this request, and to invite them to delegate plenipotentiaries for the purpose of taking up negotiations. The German Government accepts, as a basis for the peace negotiations, the program laid down by the President of the United States in his message to Congress of January 8, 1918, and in his subsequent pronouncements, particularly in his address of September 27, 1918.¹ In order to avoid further bloodshed the German Government requests to bring about the immediate conclusion of a general armistice on land, on water, and in the air.

Max, Prince of Baden

1. For messages, see ante, pp. 12 and 316, respectively.