Colonel House to Woodrow Wilson

Sir Eric Drummond has been here for two days. We have gone over the situation of the Central Powers and he has given me the views of his Foreign Office on many points.
I have been trying to pin Balfour and him down to what they would consider the minimum terms upon which the Allies would consent to go into a peace conference. I am satisfied they would be willing to begin parlayss on the basis of complete evaocuation of Belgium and France. He at first suggested a like restoration of Russian territory. I showed him this would involve a delineation of the new Poland, which all agree must be created, and that if we began to discuss boundaries before a conference was called, the discussion would be interminable.
It saddens me to remember that when I first went to Europe in January 1915, I urged the Allies to consider some such terms as these. After the Battle of the Marne Germany was more depressed than she is today. She had failed in her objective and was fearful of the combined strength which the Allies could bring against her.
I convinced Drummond that the most effective thing we could do at present was to aid the German Liberals in their fight against the present German Government.
The idea is for you to say, at a proper time and occasion, that the Allies are ready at any moment to treat with the German people, but they are not ready to treat with a military autocracy– an autocracy which they feel is responsible for the troubles that now beset the world. It is not fair to the people of Russia, of Great Britain, of France, of Italy and of the United States to be asked to treat with a military caste that is in no way representative of the German people themselves.
Both Drummond and I think that care should be used not to include the Kaiser. He has a very strong personal following in Germany, and if he is shorn of his power as the King of England, he could be rendered as harmless. In not designating the Kaiser, the hands of the Liberals will be strengthened because there is an element in Germany that would like to see a democratic Germany under a limited monarchy. The situation in Russia will accentuate the feeling that it is better not to make a too violent change from an autocracy to a republic.
If Balfour is sympathetic to this suggestion, he will ask you for an interview in order to get your mind.Your affectionate,

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