Laughlin to Secretary of State
Title
Laughlin to Secretary of State
Creator
Laughlin, Irwin B. (Irwin Boyle), 1871-1941
Identifier
WWP25266
Date
1918 October 14
Description
Passes on secret message on border fighting.
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
Peace negotiations
World War, 1914-1918--Ukraine
Contributor
Morgan Willer
Relation
WWP25267
WWP25265
Language
English
Provenance
Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.
Text
London
Dated Oct 14, 1918
Recd, 15, 11:45 am.
Secretary of State
Washington.
Greatest Urgency.
2791, October 14, 7pm.
Secret. Harrison from Bell. My 2756, October 12, 1am, first paragraph: Admiral Hall asks you to communicate the text of the following message to the President without delay. It is a wireless dated yesterday from Solf, German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to General Von Kress at (?) and reads:
“For your confidential information. In our reply to America we could not help deciding to comply in the question of evacuation; also since according to all information available here our offer of peace would otherwise have been declined. Whether President Wilson wishes to see the eastern border states also evacuated is not clear from his note. In any case the deliberations of the Commission will give us an opportunity to advance the objection that may be taken to that course.
Exclusively for your confidential information. Our opposition to a premature evacuation of the border states would be strengthened if the border states themselves would make objection therefore in order not to expose ourselves to the reproach of double dealing we must refrain from prompting such objections ourselves. You should, however, so regulate your language as to give the best prospect that the local authorities in your area will decide upon this step of their own accord.”
LAUGHLIN.
Dated Oct 14, 1918
Recd, 15, 11:45 am.
Secretary of State
Washington.
Greatest Urgency.
2791, October 14, 7pm.
Secret. Harrison from Bell. My 2756, October 12, 1am, first paragraph: Admiral Hall asks you to communicate the text of the following message to the President without delay. It is a wireless dated yesterday from Solf, German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to General Von Kress at (?) and reads:
“For your confidential information. In our reply to America we could not help deciding to comply in the question of evacuation; also since according to all information available here our offer of peace would otherwise have been declined. Whether President Wilson wishes to see the eastern border states also evacuated is not clear from his note. In any case the deliberations of the Commission will give us an opportunity to advance the objection that may be taken to that course.
Exclusively for your confidential information. Our opposition to a premature evacuation of the border states would be strengthened if the border states themselves would make objection therefore in order not to expose ourselves to the reproach of double dealing we must refrain from prompting such objections ourselves. You should, however, so regulate your language as to give the best prospect that the local authorities in your area will decide upon this step of their own accord.”
LAUGHLIN.
Original Format
Letter
To
Lansing, Robert, 1864-1928
Collection
Citation
Laughlin, Irwin B. (Irwin Boyle), 1871-1941, “Laughlin to Secretary of State,” 1918 October 14, WWP25266, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.