740.00/136: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany ( Dodd ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 3—1 p.m.]
61. Today’s issue of the DDPK12 discussing the Secretary’s denial of American initiative in calling an international peace conference states as follows:
“It is understandable that after all sorts of experiences in the past America has the wish not to interfere in European matters nor to permit itself to be dragged into the regulation of European conditions from a certain interested quarter no matter on what premise or pretexts. The success achieved by the efforts of the American countries [Page 650] towards pacification of their continent was certainly sincerely welcomed by all outsiders as well, recognized as an achievement and felt to be worth imitating. However, the differences must not be overlooked which are exhibited by conditions in Europe as regards the premises and possibilities for carrying out such efforts as compared with the new world. For it is no question that alone the historical and ethnological conditions of Europe constitute an entirely different situation as compared with conditions particularly in South America which were primarily involved at Buenos Aires.
Moreover, it cannot be denied that everywhere in Europe efforts are present to arrive sincerely and actively at the goal of total European pacification.
Although the ways are different and just recently the method of direct mutual adjustment is gaining ground over the collective methods born of the Geneva spirit that is in no case an indication of a difference of spirit but only of the special nature of the multifarious problems to be solved.
Finally, moreover, the “collective method” of America shows considerable differences of nature as compared with the compulsory collective method largely desired in Geneva.
Independent of the differences of the problems and the necessarily different manner of their solution it seems to be the essential thing that the spirit in which everywhere in the world the process of clarification and conciliation is being carried out is the same. The responsibility for success must logically be taken by those involved. But this will not prevent that, in view of the many connections, interest will exist here as well as there in the success of such efforts and that at the proper moment the sense of community will point the way to increased cooperation across the continents. On this point the same view surely obtains in Europe as in America.”
Copies by mail to London, Paris, Geneva, Rome.
- Deutsche Diplomatisch-Politische Korrespondenz.↩