100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

Tuesday, April 8, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

Mr. Lloyd George’s Residence, 23 Rue Nitot, 11:00

The Council of Four meets: Col House for America (still sitting in for President Wilson), M Clemenceau for France, Mr Lloyd George for Britain, S Orlando for Italy.


1. Discussion centers around a telegram received from General Smuts yesterday, the gist of which is that Hungary wishes to remain at peace with the Western Powers and still abides by the terms of the Armistice of the previous November 11th.

Signor Orlando has also received a telegram from the Swiss government informing the Italian government that the Austrians will declare a Soviet on May 14th, and in their opinion the best way to stop this would be for the Allied Powers to occupy Vienna.


2. Mr. Lloyd George produces a list prepared by Sir Maurice Hankey under his instructions of the subjects awaiting consideration by the Supreme Council. He suggested that it is desirable if possible to bring the Germans soon to Versailles. For this it had not seemed to him necessary that the whole of the boundaries of the whole of the new states, for example, Poland and Czechoslovakia, should be fixed, so long as the boundaries of the enemy states were clearly fixed.

Colonel House suggests that the enemy states should be invited now to come to Versailles in a few weeks. He does not wish to deprive the Peace Conference of sufficient time to complete this work, but he thinks that ample notice should be given to the enemy, and that this might be given now.

M Clemenceau says it would not alter the situation to get the Germans here now. There is revolution all through Central Europe. Food is being sent to Germany, but so far it has made no difference. It must not be hoped that because you induces the Germans here now, you will get people who will still represent Germany later on.

Mr Lloyd George agrees. He reads a telegram he has received from the Secretary of State for War to the effect that all his military advisers reported that the situation in Germany is fast approaching a catastrophe for lack of food and raw material. Today comes the news that Hungary has declared a Soviet. It will be necessary when the Germans come to Versailles to ask whom they represent; for example, do they represent Bavaria?

Colonel House asks what ought to be done if the Germans refuse to sign.

Mr Lloyd George said that this was a matter in its military aspects for Marshal Foch, who should be asked to consider it with General Wilson, General Diaz and General Bliss, and in its naval aspects for Admiral Wemyss, who should consider it with the Allied Admirals in Paris.

(This proposal is agreed to and Sir Maurice Hankey is instructed to draft letters to Marshal Foch and Admiral Wemyss respectively.)


3. It is agreed that the Economic Commission should be asked to send in its report at once.


4. Mr Lloyd George says that the report prepared by M Tardieu, Dr Haskins and Mr Headlam-Morley on the Saar Valley is to the effect that no really workable scheme could be drawn up on the basis that they had been given. He thinks therefore that it will be necessary to adopt some other scheme. He then reads extracts from three alternative schemes which had been submitted to him at an earlier stage by Mr Headlam-Morley. The scheme which attracted him most was scheme C, which would create a new state in the Saar Valley, somewhat larger than had hitherto been proposed, in customs union with France and for which France would have a mandate from the League of Nations. He hands copies of these schemes to M Clemenceau (who undertakes to consult M Tardieu about it) and Col House. He promised to send a copy to S Orlando.

(At this point the Meeting is adjourned).

[Jimbuna]

9th April 1919

Aftermath of War

Voluntary British relief force being despatched to Archangel.

Rushdi Pasha returns as Egyptian Prime Minister.

Royal Navy donates six J-class submarines to the Royal Australian Navy to guard the Pacific. The submarine HMAS J5 leaving Portsmouth for Australia.


A Belgian refugee family living in a former British military hut near the battlefield of the Ypres-Menin road. Note the dead trees in the background.


The North Russia Intervention, 1918-1920. A 6 inch naval gun of the 339th Infantry Regiment, American 85th Division mounted on railway carriage (Verst 455). Volodga Front, 9 April 1919. Note a group of British troops with a sledge loaded with supplies on the right.


Ship Losses:

Hastier (Belgium) The coaster, on her maiden voyage, departed Brixham, Devon, United Kingdom for Barcelona, Spain. A damaged lifeboat discovered on 21 June by Courier ( United Kingdom) and landed at Guernsey Channel Islands.

[Sailor Steve]

Wednesday, April 9, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

The Supreme Economic Council meets at the Ministry of Commerce to discuss more than 100 different points of finance. These range from the great (Lifting of Blockades) to the small (Exports from Neutral countries into Germany of vegetables and fish). Decisions are made ending all censorship of messages sent by underwater cables and the dispositions of Commissions set up under the Armistice. Since the Armistice is nothing more than a cease-fire and the Peace Treaty has not yet been concluded the Allies and Germans are still technically at war.

So many different items are discussed at this meeting that, while it is possible to list them all, it would take several pages here to do so.

At the end of the Memoranda it is noted that all decisions taken by this Council are of an economic nature only and have no effect on the actual Peace Negotiations.

An interesting side-note to this Council: One of the British members is legendary economist John Maynard Keynes.

[Jimbuna]

10th April 1919

Aftermath of War

Rioting at Amritsar; 3 Europeans killed.

Bolsheviks retire on Ural front.

A view of Constantinople taken from the Sultan Ahmet Square (former Hippodrome). Constantinople is currently occupied by the Allied powers.


A family welcomes the return of an American soldier who served in the 37th Division.


The British Army of the Rhine, Cologne, Germany. Men of the Queen's Regiment affixing direction sign to the London Division's Men's Club. Other signs show the way to Military Governor's Headquarters, Commandant, Cologne and Town Major.

[Sailor Steve]

Thursday, April 10, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

President Wilson’s House, Place des Etats-Unis, 16:00

A meeting of the Council of Four has been called to discuss a new Commission on Reparations. Discussed are questions involving the participation of the United States on the new Commission, whether the Commission's decisions must be unanimous, and the subject of issuing bonds to Germany.


1. President Wilson says that whether the United States would participate would depend on whether they thought the decisions made by the Commission are sound. If they are, the U.S. will participate. If not, then no.


2. Most of the delegates believe a majority is all that is required to pass decisions for the New Commission. President Wilson insists upon absolute unanimity. The discussion goes on.


3. The question of issuing bonds to Germany brings up a very long and heated debate, which loops around to the Majority vs Unanimity question again. After much wrangling it is finally decided that the problem will not be solved today and is put off for a later meeting.

[Jimbuna]

11th April 1919

Aftermath of War

Bavarian Soviet Republic overthrown.

Sir Douglas Haig's final despatch of 21 March 1919 (11 November-31 December 1918) published.

Romanians withdraw temporarily from Hungarian territory.

In Lens, France, a married couple living in the cellar of their former home, which is in complete ruins.


The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea is established in Shanghai to contest Japanese colonial rule over Korea. Some of the leaders of the movement.


Emiliano Zapata, one of the leading figures of the Mexican Revolution, is assassinated by pro-government troops.

[Sailor Steve]

Friday, April 11, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

There are no meetings today.

[Jimbuna]

12th April 1919

Aftermath of War

Rioting at Kasur (India).

Sir William Marshall's final despatch on Mesopotamia published (covers 1 October-31 December 1918).

Bolsheviks occupy Yalta (Crimea).

At the Paris Peace Conference, the “Racial Equality Proposal” put forward by Japan is not accepted due to strong opposition from Australia and the United States. The proposal was supported by delegates from France, China, Italy, Brazil, Greece, Serbia, and Czechoslovakia.


French serial killer Henri Désiré Landru is arrested (He is eventually found guilty of 11 murders and executed by guillotine in 1922)


Ship Losses:

Carolus (Sweden) The cargo ship, enroute from Halmstad to West Hartlepool, struck a mine from the World War I minefield at Herthas flak and sank with the loss of two crew.

[Sailor Steve]

Saturday, April 12, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

Again there are no major meetings.

[Jimbuna]

13th April 1919

Aftermath of War

Britain: Over two million men demobilised by this date.

Bavarian Soviet Government gains upper hand again.

At Jallianwala Bagh garden in Armitsar, India, British Indian Army troops under Colonel Reginald Dyer (pictured) fire on a crowd of peaceful Indian protesters, resulting in around 379 deaths, possibly higher. The massacre further fuels opposition against British rule in India.


The Communist Party of Germany seizes control over the Bavarian Soviet Republic and installs Eugen Leviné as its head.

[Sailor Steve]

Sunday, April 13, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

Being a Sunday, the Peace Conference once again takes the day off.

[Jimbuna]

14th April 1919

Aftermath of War

Versailles: Germany's war reparations are provisionally set at £5,400 million.

Rioting in the Punjab for five days.

Siberians under General Kolchak advancing west.

Scottish soldiers guard a checkpoint on the Dusseldorf road leading to the British-occupation zone in Germany.


Anti-Bolshevik Russian soldiers landing at Feodosiya, Crimea.

[Sailor Steve]

Monday, April 14, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

There are no major meetings today.

[Jimbuna]

15th April 1919

German submarine U-118 while being towed to France to be broken up for scrap runs aground off the coast of Hastings, attracting curious onlookers.


Members of the Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) marching at Maresquel, France.


The United States Navy selected the collier USS "Jupiter" to be converted into the navy's first aircraft carrier.


Ship Losses:

U-118 (United Kingdom) The Type UE II submarine was driven ashore at Hastings, Sussex, United Kingdom. She was scrapped in situ between October and December 1919.

[Sailor Steve]

Tuesday, April 15, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

M Pichon’s Room, Quai d’Orsay, Paris 15:00

Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers


1. M Pichon opens with the question of the Allied Armies of Occupation in the Rhenish Districts. General Weygand is called upon to clarify the situation. An Inter-Allied Sub-Commission at Spa has concluded that the total cost will be approximately six million francs per month, which means that the present accumulated cost is about three milliard (billion) francs. There follows a discussion of the nature of the reparations and what steps have been taken so far to secure the payments.

Mr Lansing says that the United States is not ready to enter into these discussions as General Pershing had requested information from Marshal Foch on March 8th and this request was still unanswered. General Weygand replies that he is not sure what questions are still open, as the question of the cost of Armies of Occupation were part of the original Armistice. He feels it is better to keep the Maintenance Costs separate from other Reparations. Mr Lansing thanks General Weygand for his explanation, as it brings out the point that this is more of a Political and Economic question than a Military one. He recommends that it should be addressed by the Supreme Economic Council and not to the Supreme War Council.

General Weygand says that the German government has requested an estimate of what they owe several times now, and are still awaiting a reply.

(It is decided that the question is ready to be submitted to the Council of Four.


2. M Pichon brings up a draft proposal by the British to make Germany's signing of the Opium Convention of 1912 a part of the Peace Treaty. Mr Lansing points out that several of the Allied Powers had also not signed the Opium Convention, and if Germany's signing is made part of the Peace Treaty then those Allied nation ought also to be required to sign. He further suggests that the act of signing the Peace Treaty should automatically mean agreement to the Opium Convention, thereby bypassing the need for separate signings.

Sir Robert Borden says that the British draft is preferable as it brings all the Powers into agreement immediately whereas the American draft requires that they must wait for the conclusion of the Peace Treaty. Mr Lansing agrees and suggests that the two proposals be combined.

Baron Makino says that Japan is in agreement with this and had been a part of the original Convention, but the Japanese Diet meets in the spring and only for three months. This means that the three months suggested for full agreement may not be possible for Japan. M Pichon says that Japan has a representative on the Drafting Committee, who should be able to answer directly to the Japanese Diet. Baron Makino says that with that fact in mind he is satisfied with the plan as posed.

(It is decided that the American and British drafts should be given to the Drafting Committee for revision and combination.)


3. M Pichon brings up a British proposal to amend the draft requiring German acceptance of the Belgian Treaty of 1839 and recognizing Belgium's sovereignty as an independent Power. The proposal is to combine British and American proposals on the subject.

(It is agreed that these should be submitted to the Drafting Committee for revision and combination.


4. Mr Lansing brings up the question of the renunciation by Germany of Territorial Privileges in Egypt. The British have presented a draft proposal regarding two items:

A) The German government agrees to give up all involvement in the Egyptian public debt as of the Decree by the Khedive in 1904.

B) The German government agrees to cede all rights over the Suez Canal to Britain, according to the agreement of 1888.

Mr Lansing objects to these items on the grounds that he believes a blanket clause requiring that Germany give up all territorial rights outside the European nation of Germany itself. This would remove the necessity of examining each and every claim individually.

M Pichon disagrees, since each claim to territorial rights involves some nation or another actually making a claim which must be resolved. This will require that Germany state to which nation she is ceding that particular claim.

Mr Lansing says that if this plan is followed it cannot possibly be ready in time for the Peace Treaty. He feels Germany should cede all claims to the Five Great Powers, giving those Powers the authority to determine the fate of each claim as it comes up.

M Pichon points out that a Commission has already been appointed for the subject of Morocco and Egypt, and the Council of Four has accepted that Commission's proposals. If Mr Lansing's plan is put into force it will effectively reject all the work of that Commission.

Mr Lansing says that the question of Germany's territorial claims should be decided "en bloc", and that Morocco should not be given special treatment. He then asks if France and Britain are prepared to discuss German territorial claims in China. M Pichon replies that China is an actual territorial question, whereas Egypt and Morocco are merely questions of status. Mr Lansing says that the question of Shantung was also merely a matter of status. Similarly, the question of Consuls not only in China but also in Siam would come under the same head.

Baron Makino brings up the point that the Chinese territories are leased, not owned, and that Germany is not the only nation to have leased territories in China. A treaty exists between Japan and China regarding those territories, and they could not be covered in a general clause dealing with German claims in other parts of the world.

Mr Lansing points out that China has asked that the territories in question be restored to her. Baron Makino says that the Treaty between Japan and China deals with that exact subject, and it agrees that territory leased by Germany there should be restored to China. Mr Lansing asks whether the Chinese territories are being held in trust by Japan, and whether Japan would object to the Five Great Powers acting as trustees.

M Pichon interrupts, saying the discussion is getting far away from the question at hand. He returns to the question of a blanket clause covering all German territorial claims. Mr Lansing says the clause should be referred to the Drafting Committee. M Pichon says that this still does not cover the question of Egypt and Morocco. Baron Sonnino suggests that the Drafting Committee might create a draft that covers those two questions as well.

M de Peretti (President of the Morocco Commission) says that it would be quite impossible to draw up an Article that would cover all these questions. Should the Committee stipulate for a clean sweep of all Germany’s rights and privileges throughout the world, the Allied and Associated Governments would run the risk of perpetrating a grave injustice. Germany can only be asked to renounce certain definite rights and privileges and these would in each case have to be specified, otherwise endless trouble would hereafter arise.

Mr Lansing restates his view that a clause should be drawn up whereby Germany will make a general renunciation of all her rights, privileges and claims throughout the world; Commissions would then be appointed to consider each case individually.

M de Peretti agrees that this could be a good course, but points out the dangers involved if Commission to consider each case are not appointed immediately. This could lead to Germany being deprived of rights she should in reality be allowed to retain.

Sir Robert Borden says that the draft clauses contain a number of provisions which it would be impossible to include in a general clause. For instance, should an attempt be made to put everything included in the draft articles relating to Morocco in a general clause, it would become extremely lengthy and unwieldy. He inquired whether the Committee would be prepared to accept the draft articles relating to Morocco, subject to the proviso that all matters which could be included in a general clause would be omitted from the special articles relating to Morocco.

Baron Sonnino says that it is impossible for him to accept the part of the British draft saying that Germany hands over all rights to the Suez Canal to Britain. This would hand over all rights of the Sultan of Turkey, which is far more than just the surrendering of German rights. He feels this requires the approval of all the Powers.

Mr Lansing agrees that Egypt requires special treatment. He suggests that the question wait until the Drafting Committee has prepared a proposal.

M Pichon points out that Commissions have already made reports on some of these subjects, and asks whether Mr Lansing proposes to ignore the work of these Commissions.

Mr Lansing says that he feels a general renunciation proposal should be drafted and then each question be addressed separately within that framework. He fears that unless this procedure is followed the Great Powers will undoubtedly be accused of catering to their own interests at the expense of others.

M Pichon says he believes that only questions directly relating to Germany and the other Signers should be addressed. Other questions could then be postponed to a later date. He also feels that questions like Egypt and Morocco, which are ready to be settled now, should not be postponed.

Sir Robert Borden presses for the acceptance of the draft article relating to the British Protectorate of Egypt. Due to the objections of the American and Italian representatives, he would agree to the Drafting Committee being instructed to draft a general article as suggested by Mr. Lansing. He foresees great difficulties in introducing in such a general article all the conditions contained in the draft relating to Egypt. Should the Drafting Committee not be able to draw up a satisfactory general article he will renew his pressure for the acceptance of the British draft article relating to Egypt. Failing that the whole question will have to be referred for decision to the Council of Four.

Baron Makino says that if Mr. Lansing’s proposal is adopted it will be necessary to make a reservation in the case of Kiauchau since that formed the subject of a special treaty and could not therefore be included in a general clause. Baron Sonnino again points out that Japan has a representative on the Drafting Committee who can address these questions as the arise.

M Pichon recommends that the clause on Morocco be referred to the Drafting Committee, but only for inclusion into the General Clause. Other proposals can be included as separate clauses at a later date.

(This is agreed to.)

(It is decided to instruct the Drafting Committee to draft a general clause whereby Germany will renounce all her claims, rights and privileges outside the territory of Germany in Europe as defined in the Peace Treaty. The Drafting Committee will at the same time be instructed to submit additional clauses to include such special rights and privileges of Germany as would not be covered by the general clause.)


6. A discussion is held on the subject of amending one of the Military Articles to better cover the production of poison gasses.


7. A discussion is held on the subject of requiring Germany to accept decisions of the Prize Courts.


8. M Pichon proposes a draft be created to separately deal with Germany's holdings in Antarctica.

(This is agreed to.)