dodis.ch/43712

Le Professeur W. Rappard au Colonel House1

My dear Colonel House,

Your cordial note of March 12th2 was received in due season and I beg to thank you very warmly for it.

I have refrained from encroaching on your attention since because, in the course of rapidly passing events, there was no special subject about which I thought you were not better and more promptly informed from other sources. Besides, as I was delighted to learn, you have been in close touch with Mr. Sulzer, our excellent minister in Washington, to whom I have been writing regularly and fully for the last months. I spent an afternoon with him here last week and was exceedingly interested in and happy over all the news he gave me about America, particularly about her generous attitude towards us.

I am taking the liberty today of assuring you that this generosity is more appreciated from day to day in Switzerland. The feeling towards America in the German-speaking part of the country, which last year was still clearly skeptical, has been growing ever warmer. Public opinion with us has more and more come to look upon President Wilson as the true leader of liberal humanity the world over. As an interesting symptom of this, I am sending you, in French and in the original German, President Calonder’s last speech on international affairs3. Enclosed you will also find an article published in a Zurich periodical about my interview with President Wilson and the translation of the peculiarly analogous passages underscored in both texts. There is no doubt but that we have here another example of the striking similitude of the public spirit of our two republics, which, in spite of all contrasts of size, might, and situation, is an international fact of real significance.

It is the earnest hope of many Swiss citizens that our country, uniting, as it does, in the heart of warring Europe, three different races on the basis of free and federative democracy, may be of some true aid in helping the United States contribute to the solution of Europe’s problems in the spirit of our common ideals. On the occasion of the 4th of July our press almost unanimously expressed this hope in more or less guarded terms. The direct and indirect pressure of Germany alone prevents us from being more outspoken.

A long conversation which I had the honor of having with President Calonder on the subject ten days ago convinced me that he was most sincerely eager to do all that was compatible with our national security in this respect. If in my own modest sphere I can be of the slightest assistance in the matter, I need not assure you that you will always find me most willing to help.

It was a great pleasure to have Mr. Ackermann with us this winter. May we not hope to see you in Switzerland soon?

Pray believe me, dear Colonel House, with all good wishes, Sincerely yours, ...