rumours from Switzerland in regard to our Prague delegation. I heard that Vienna was negotiating with its members and wished to negotiate with me. Therefore I sent from London a special envoy to Switzerland to get trustworthy information of Austrian intentions.
In Washington I had heard that the Emperor Charles had made his last offer to President Wilson in agreement with the Vatican. True, the general situation made it seem improbable that the Vatican would run risks for the sake of Austria; and though the Emperor Charles and those about him sought solace during dark hours in their relations with the Pope, Vatican policy had in reality already become circumspect. According to later reports, the Emperor Charles sent Andrássy’s Note to the Pope at the same time as he sent it to Wilson, expecting doubtless that His Holiness would do something for him; but whether there were any preliminary negotiations I have been unable to ascertain.
As soon as the Republic had been proclaimed at Prague and I had been elected President on November 14, I sent an Army Order to our troops in France, Italy, Russia and Serbia, informing them of the establishment of our State and defining the task of the army. It announced that the Legions in France and Italy would shortly return home, and commanded those in Russia and Siberia to stand by the Allies. Our Branch National Council in Russia was dissolved on November 14, since the National Council itself had become the Provisional Government which the Allies had recognized. General Štefánik, as Minister for War, became the chief administrative military authority for our forces in Siberia.
On November 15 I paid my last visit to President Wilson in order to thank him heartily and to assure him of the gratitude of our whole nation. Of all our political friends and well-wishers I took a warm farewell, especially of M. Jusserand and his wife and of his colleagues; and I naturally said good-bye to Secretary Lansing, to the other principal members of the Government and to the chief officials. The preparations for the Peace Conference were practically complete, and Mr. Lansing informed me that he had drafted, for his own use, a peace programme which, in general character, resembled our own.
The newspapers, a long list of them, sought interviews with the new President. Obviously, propaganda was not yet at an end! The American Government granted me a credit after my election to the Presidency. Alongside of ideal
