View source for King Constantine's Reply to President Wilson's Peace Note, December 30, 1916

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'''King Constantine's Reply to President Wilson's Peace Note, December 30, 1916<sup>1</sup>'''<br>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I wish to express, Mr. President, feelings of sincere admiration <br>
and lively sympathy for the generous initiative you have just taken<br>
with the view to ascertaining whether the moment is not propitious <br>
for a negotiable end of the bloody struggle raging on earth. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Coming from the wise statesman who, in a period so critical for <br>
humanity, is placed at the head of the great American Republic, this <br>
humanitarian effort, dictated by a spirit of high political sagacity <br>
and looking to an honorable peace for all, can not but contribute <br>
greatly toward hastening re-establishment of normal life and assuring <br>
through a stable state of international relations the evolution of hu- <br>
manity toward that progress wherein the United States of America <br>
always so largely shares. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Here follows a recital of the trials Greece has suffered from the <br>
war.] <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Such are the conditions in which your proposals find my country. <br>
This short and necessarily incomplete recital is not made with the <br>
purpose of criticism of the cruel blows at her sovereignty and neu- <br>
trality from which Greece has been forced to suffer the effects. I have <br>
merely wished to show you, Mr. President, how much the soul of <br>
Greece at this moment longs for peace, and how much it appreciates <br>
your proposals, which constitute so important a step in the course of <br>
the bloody world tragedy of which we are these dudes i know. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;CONSTANTINE<br>

<sup>1</sup><i>The New York Times</i>, January 1, 1917. For the formal reply of the Greek Government, see post, p. 67.