Woodrow Wilson to Colonel House

To House.

VII. Referring to your number twenty-seven strongly advise that the most liberal possible concurrence in transfer of actual armed force to Czecho-Slovak and Jugo-Slav local authorities as the best proof of our utter good faith towards them, but more caution with regard to Hungary. Local control of course infinitely better than foreign on every account. On principle and for the sake of the incalculable difficulties of the future keep hands off the pieces of Austria-Hungary and reduce outside intervention to minimum.

This is the time to win the confidence of the populations there and the peace of Europe pivots there.