100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

Monday, March 24, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE
Day 47

M Pichon's hotel suite, Quai d’Orsay, 16:00


1. In a meeting between M Clemenceau, President Wilson, Mr Lloyd George, S Orlando, and Marshal Foch with M Mantoux as Interpreter, the following Conclusions were reached on the subject of the transport of General Haller’s Army to Dantzig:

1) The negotiations shall be taken up at Spa, under Clause 34 of the Armistice of November 11th, 1918.2) Marshal Foch shall demand that under Clause 16 of the Armistice of November 11th, 1918, the Germans shall permit the free passage of General Haller’s Army as part of the Allied Army, through Dantzig to Poland, for the purpose of maintaining order in that country. They must also undertake to give every facility for the temporary accommodation of the troops passing through the port. Any refusal to accede to this demand will be interpreted as a breach of the Armistice by Germany.


2) In the event of a refusal by the Germans to accede to this demand, Marshal Foch shall confer with the Supreme War Council as to the action to be taken.


3) This decision shall be notified by the Secretary-General to the Warsaw Commission.


2. M. Fromageot is called to give a summary of the report of the Committee on Submarine Cables. Disposal of Enemy-Owned Submarine Cables:

1) Is it right under the rules or principles of International law to treat as capture or prize submarine telegraph cables of an enemy cut or taken possession of by naval operations?

2) Is it right under the rules or principles of International law for a Government whose naval forces have cut or taken possession of a submarine telegraph cable of an enemy to retain such cable by way of reparation?

3) In the event that the cut or captured cable of an enemy is landed on the territory of another nation, what right and authority does such nation possess under contracts or permits granted to the enemy to cancel the same or to control the use of the cable?

The Committee submits the following replies:

On the First and Second Questions:

1) The Committee is unanimous in thinking that military necessity is a justification for the cutting of enemy cables.

2) On the question as to whether the enemy cables can or cannot be the subject of capture or prize:

The British Empire, France and Japan think that the capture and confiscation of enemy cables are legally justified by the general principle of the right of capture of enemy property at sea.

The United States and of Italy consider that in the present state of international law this opinion is not well founded, the property in enemy cables cannot be assimilated to property subject to capture at sea.

3) In these circumstances the Committee is unanimous in considering that in the absence of a special rule, recognising the right of confiscation of enemy submarine cables, the treaty of peace must decide the disposal of these cables.



On the Third Question:

A) The Committee is unanimous in considering that the answer depends upon the terms of the contracts entered into between the owner of the cable and the third Power on whose territory such cable is landed, and that, in all cases, these contracts are, as regards the belligerents who have cut or seized the cable, a res inter alios acta (It is between the owner of the cable and the nation on whose territory it is landed).

British View
Mr Balfour says the matter should be discussed by the full Conference. Two questions are involved:

1) What is necessary for the Peace Treaty and what can be put off until after the Treaty is in effect.

2) Does Germany have any right to complain? Mr Balfour says the answer is "No", and that the victor has the right to appropriate cables just as much as ships captured at sea.

French View

Admiral de Bon agrees with the British view, and further states that underwater cables can be used as instruments of war and are therefore subject to capture and confiscation just as any other weapon.

American View

Mr Lansing says that cutting enemy cables is a reasonable act of war, but cutting cables does not give the right of possession. He feels that the nation claiming possession could be accused of creating a monopoly. He suggests that the cables in question might be referred to the Prize Courts.

President Wilson disagrees with Admiral Bon's view that possession can be based on a cable's use as an instrument of war. They can also be used as an instrument of commerce and as such must be regarded for their peaceful uses. Four of the cables in question have one end-point in Germany, and are Germany's connection to the commercial world. Should they be taken from the nation that paid for them just because of potential war use? Mr Wilson urges the Conference to move slowly and carefully when considering decisions that might set a precedent for generations to come.

Mr Balfour brings up the problem that some of the cables had not only been cut but had been attached to new cables or otherwise diverted, making it impossible to restore them to Germany as they had been before the war.

M Clemenceau says he liked Mr Lansings idea of referring the matter to the Prize courts, but he now understands that both British and French Prize Courts would be compelled to rule that the question was outside their jurisdiction since there were no precedents to follow.

Japanese View:
Baron Makino says that the two cables seized by Japan had been paid for by the German government and were not private enterprises. Japan feels that since they had been used for war purposes they could be so used again. Japan is therefore opposed to the cables being returned to Germany.

Italian View:
S Orlando says there are two questions involved, that of law and that of fact. The laws applying to ships do not apply to cables. On the one hand the law is clear in stating that it is illegal to appropriate private property, even enemy private property. On the other hand it is impossible to return the cables to Germany as they were before the war because they have been cut up and diverted. The best to be hoped for is to pay Germany for the damage done. An attempt could be made to restore the cables to their original condition, but it might be better for all involved if the Allies simply admitted they were wrong and pay a reparation.

M Tardieu proposes that all German government cables be retained by the Allies, and all private cables be put on a list of reparations to be paid to Germany.

The final conclusion is that the matter be referred to a Drafting Committee and discussions recommenced when the report from that Committee is received.



3. A discussion begins on the report of the Teschen Commission for reaching a peace between the Czechs and the Poles on the mining districts in contention. The Commission has been acting in an advisory capacity and neither side has been paying any attention. The first demand of the Peace Conference will be that both sides acknowledge the Commission's primacy in dictating the affairs of the region. Until that has happened nothing else can be done.

[Jimbuna]

25th March 1919

Aftermath of War

General Allenby arrives in Egypt.

Women ambulance drivers of the American Red Cross transport wounded veterans in a parade in New York City.


Belgian children look at a poster warning them of explosives that remain buried from the war.


The New Zealand Division of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force is disbanded and the men return home. Troopship Willochra, still in dazzle camouflage, carrying New Zealand troops home through the Panama Canal.


Men of the 27th Division marching in a victory parade at Madison Square, New York City.


Surrendered Austro-Hungarian submarines exhibited in Venice.

[Sailor Steve]

Tuesday, March 25, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE




The Peace Conference did not meet today, possibly because they are waiting for reports from the various Committees and Commissions before they can discuss the latest topics.

[Jimbuna]

26th March 1919

Aftermath of War

Allied Missions leave Budapest.

British occupation troops in the German Rhineland pose inside a model boat for a postcard to send home.


1st Canadian Infantry Brigade leaving Huy, Belgium to return home.

[Sailor Steve]

Wednesday, March 26, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE




The Peace Conference did not meet again today.

[Jimbuna]

27th March 1919

American troops surfacing roads near Savenay, France.


Ship Losses:

Vincio (Spain) The cargo ship ran aground at Bayonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France and was a total loss.

[Sailor Steve]

Thursday, March 27, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE
Day 48

M Pichon's room, Foreign Office Building, 11:30


(A meeting was held at 11:00 at President Wilson's house on the Place des Etats-Unis between Mr Wilson, M Clemenceau, Mr Lloyd George and S Orlando. I could not find any information on that meeting other than that they arranged this meeting on short notice. This meeting is between Mr Balfour and Lord Robert Cecil for Britain, Mr Lansing and Mr Hoover for The United States, M Pichon and M Seydoux for France, and Baron Sonnino for Italy)


1. M Pichon opens with the political importance of supplying food to Bavaria from other directions than the north. Swiss President M Calonder has said that he would be open to allowing supplies for Bavaria to come through Switzerland.

M Seydoux says that supplies could also be taken through Strassburg. Lord Cecil points out the difficulties of taking supplies through Switzerland. Mr Lansing says that the real question is one of policy. Do we want to separate Bavaria from the rest of Germany?

Mr Hoover says that the Allies have contracts with Germany, and the German government is attempting a fair distribution of food to all of Germany, including Bavaria. If Bavaria is supplied separately they will have to pay separately, and likely doesn't have the means for such payments.

Mr Balfour asks how the required payments should be made. Mr Hoover says that Bavaria has some supplies to offer in exchange. Baron Sonnino asks if the food for Bavaria would be in addition to that set aside for Germany in general. If it was part of the same lot then Germany's approval would be required first.

M Seydoux says that it will be cheaper to send the supplies via the Rhine River than by rail. Mr Lansing says that this brings us back to the question of Policy. Baron Sonnino says it will not be a question of Policy if the German government agrees.

Lord Robert Cecil sums up the situation as he sees it. Arrangements had been made with Germany, including payments. Payment was agreed to be handled by the Central German Government. Any food sent to any part of Germany would have to be with the consent of the government representing the whole people. To send goods to one part of Germany would be to go against what was agreed to. If there was spare food that could be sent to Bavaria then it might be a valid proposition, but then the political questions would arise.

M Pichon suggests the question be handed over to the Supreme Economic Council. Mr Lansing says not until the Policy question is decided.

Mr Hoover says the arrangement with the Germans involves two methods:
1) A direct arrangement with Berlin.
2) A relaxation of the blockade, allowing German merchants to purchase food from abroad. Any food so purchased will be deducted from the total amount, so the total ration will not change.

Mr Balfour asks how Bavaria can by food from Switzerland if Switzerland has no extra food to spare. Mr Hoover says that the Swiss do have some temporary stocks which could be used and replaced later. There is plenty of food in the world. The problem is that of transportation.

M Seydoux says that allowing the Bavarians to buy food from the Swiss would change nothing, as it will still be deducted from the total amount allowed.

The discussion goes around in this circle several times, always coming back to the main problem being that of transport. When the question is asked why we want to separate Bavaria from the rest of Germany, M Pichon says that the goal there is to prevent the spread of Bolshevism in Bavaria. Mr Lansing says that in that case it would be best to let the German government control the food problem, as it is certainly not Bolshevist. He questions the wisdom of interfering with the internal affairs of any country.

Mr Balfour again says he believes this should best be handled by the Supreme Economic Council. Mr Hoover says the Council's first question will be "What was the Policy?" Lord Robert Cecil and Baron Sonnino both agree that if the present body decides this issue it will cause confusion, and it should go to the Supreme Economic Council.

It is finally decided to send the matter to the Supreme Economic Council.


2 (for some reason this is listed in the notes as '3'). Lord Robert Cecil raises the question of the blockade of Austria and Estonia. It is decided to postpone this question until the following day.

The meeting is adjourned.

[Jimbuna]

28th March 1919

A meeting of the German National Assembly in Weimar. Note the women delegates as well a man wearing a pickelhaube.


“Mutt and Jeff,” the tallest and shortest members of the African American 505th Engineers returning home on the SS Roma. The taller soldier is Jesse Hixon and the shorter soldier is Thomas C. Crispell.


Ship Losses:

Conservator (United Kingdom) The cargo ship ran aground on the Black Rocks in the River Teifi and was wrecked.

[Sailor Steve]

Friday, March 28, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

M Pichon's room, Foreign Office Building, 11:00

The same delegates as yesterday's meeting, plus Baron Makino of Japan.


1. Lord Robert Cecil says that in a meeting on March 12 the Supreme Economic Council had resolved that all Economic and Trade restrictions on Austria and Hungary should be abolished, and the Blockade be lifted. He now believes that in light of recent events in Hungary that part of the Resolution should be refered back to the Supreme Council, but that the portion relating to Austria should be adopted.

Baron Sonnino says that Italy has no objection to establishing full free trade, provided Hungary is not included. He does wish to note the ban on all import, export and transport of goods between Italy and Yugoslavia. Mr Balfour says that this is a delicate situation, and that it has no direct bearing on the blockade of Austria. Lord Robert Cecil says that Italy had agreed to the ending of all blockade in the Adriatic Sea area, and that it is a very serious matter that Yugoslavia should answer this with a blockade of Italy.

It is concluded that Baron Sonnino is right to draw attenction to this matter, and the best course for now is the Supreme Council ask Yugoslavia to explain their current action.

(It is then agreed that all blockade against Austria should be lifted.)


2. Lord Robert Cecil reads the Supreme Economic Council report on the re-opening of trade with Estonia.

Mr Lansing asks why the proposal does not also extend to Latvia and Lithuania. Lord Cecil says there are political objections to this. The governments of those two nations are still sketchy, and the delegates think it is too soon to enter into commercial relations with them. Mr McCormick says the delegates had been lead to believe there are military reasons for not considering them, but that it might be possible to make some arrangement. Mr Balfour notes that all the main ports of entry into the two nations are controlled either by the Germans or the Bolsheviks. He believes the Resolution of the Supreme Economic Council should be adopted, with a not that the same principle should be extended to the other Baltic states as soon as the military situation is favorable.

Mr McCormick says the situation in Libau and Riga is no different than that in Danzig. Mr Balfour believes they are very different. In Danzig there is law and order, while Libau and Riga are both centers of military operations.

M Pichon says he believes that order in Danzig might soon cease. There is no official information at this time, but there seems to be a revolution there of Germans against the Poles.

(It is agreed that the resolution of the Supreme Economic Council regarding the resumption of trade with Estonia is adopted, and recommended that the same resolution be applied to Latvia and Lithuania as soon as the military situation there is favorable.)


3. Lord Robert Cecil then proposes that the planned removal of all trade restrictions from Poland on April 1st be subject to the same principle, i.e. the establishment of proper control at Danzig.

Mr Lansing says that the trouble at Danzig seems to be of the nature of local riot, as happens any time a large body of people are transferred to a new allegiance against their wishes. Mr McCormick points out that the transfer of some 4,500 tons of food at Danzig had been carried out without trouble.

(It is agreed that all trade restrictions agains Poland will be lifted on April 1st, provided proper control is set up before that date.)


4. Mr McCormick initiates a discussion of the question of re-opening the Rhine River for navigation. A Swiss engineer is beign sent up the river in a boat to investigate the channel from Bâle and Strassburg. M Seydoux says that this is the responsibility of the Inter-Allied Military Commission and they will have to be consulted before any action can be taken. Lord Robert Cecil says that all such matters are sent directly to Marshal Foch, and that he will probably have no objections to this plan.

(It is resolved that the Rhine River will be re-opened to navigation, providing there are no objections from the Military Authorities.)


5. M Pichon re-opens the question of French claims regarding Morocco. There is much discussion but no real objections due to the fact that France plans to maintain an "Open Door" policy allowing all nations free access to Morocco.

(It is decided that a Commission will be created to examine all of France's claims and report back to the Supreme Council.)


6. M Tardieu presents the report by the Commission on Danish Affairs involving adjustments to Danish territory. The main problem is that the whole of Denmark is divided into communes. Two Danish communes might be separated by a German commune, with no common interest between the two zones. A good example is Central Schleswig. There are many Danish communes there, but the population as a whole is German. Denmark wants voting by commune, which will certainly give the appearance of the area being mostly Danish, when in fact it is mostly German. In Flensburg the population is also mostly German, but there are a large number of Danes controlling the economy. If the area is named as Danish there is a good chance that the German majority will switch their allegiance and call themselves Danes.

(It is decided that this matter needs further discussion and should involve the Supreme Council. The meeting is adjourned until Tuesday, April 1st.)

[Jimbuna]

29th March 1919

Aftermath of War

Adalia (Asia Minor) occupied by Italians.

Two Bristol Fighters demonstrating a dogfight over the skies of British-occupied Cologne, Germany.


Holland: Ex-Kaiser Wilhelm II says he would rather kill himself than submit to a trial by the Allies.


Europe: March 29, 1919 The graves of two Ohio members of the Rainbow Division. They were buried where they fell, and the graves are marked with the gun that felled them as they were avenged by their comrades. They were in Co. G, 168th Infantry.

[Sailor Steve]

Saturday, March 29, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

M Clemenceau's Office, French Ministry of War, 14 Rue Dominique, 15:00


1. After some discussion between the leaders of Britain, France, Italy, and the United States concerning the transport of General Haller's army through Danzig, the following conclusions are reached:

1) Marshal Foch will invite the Germans to send a plenipotentiary to meet him at Spa on April 3rd, and shall notify them that he will give them all the explanations and guarantees referred to in the telegram sent earlier by General Nudant. (This telegram relayed the German answer that they had agreed to allow Allied troops through Danzig, and not Polish troops. The are prepared, however, to allow General Haller's troops through Stettin, Königsberg, Memel, or Libau.)

2) Marshal Foch will explain that the Allied governments believe that it is right to explain that the troops will consist of Allied soldiers who fought on the Western Front, specially selected for their Polish Nationality; that they are not intended for the occupation of Danzig; will only require temporary accomidations while passing through the port; and finally that this decision has no connection with the disposition of Danzig in the Peace Treaty.

3) Marshal Foch will be authorized to use Stettin and other ports if he deems it necessary.

4) Any refusal of this decision on the part of the Germans will be considered a breach of the Armistice.


2. Signor Orlando presents a message handed by the new Hungarian government to Prince Borghese, the Italian Minister in Belgrade. The new government is Socialist in nature, but expresses their desire to cooperate with all nations in the formation of a nation that can live in peace with all others. They will welcome a delegation to discuss terms of Peace and guarantee the safety of that delegation.

It is decided that President Wilson should send a trustworthy American to assess the situation and make a report. It is suggested that this Person work in tandem with Prince Borghese.


3. Mr Lloyd George reads the memorandum on War Reparations to be paid by the Germans. After an objection by President Wilson over the wording it is decided to postpone discussion of this subject to a later meeting.


The next meeting is scheduled and the current one adjourned.

[Jimbuna]

30th March 1919

Aftermath of War

Britain: Summer time begins (till 28 September).

Lenin offers alliance to Germany with Hungary against Entente and Poland.

Press Bureau closes.

German crowds in Berlin protest the expulsion of Germans from various countries. Protesters are carrying placards identifying where they were expelled from.


The 1919 Stanley Cup Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Seattle Metropolitans end without a champion due to the outbreak of the Spanish Flu among the players. (Montreal Canadiens player Joe Hall dies on April 4th)


Welcome home parade for America troops in Buffalo, New York.

[Sailor Steve]

Sunday, March 30, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE




There are no meetings within the Peace Conference today.

[Jimbuna]

31st March 1919

Aftermath of War

Bolsheviks attack Archangel front; repulsed.

General Maynard repress Bolshevist revolt at Murmansk.

Tens of thousands of miners in the Ruhr of Germany agreed to unionize and go on strike.

Soldiers waiting on the bank of the Rhine in Köln for the steamer which is to take them to Rotterdam from where they are to go to England for demobilisation.


The headquarters of the Japanese Governor-General of Taiwan is completed in Taipei (today, it houses the Office of the President of the Republic of China)


Russian aviation designer Igor Sikorsky (founder of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation) flees from war-torn Russia to the United States.

[Sailor Steve]

Monday, March 31, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE


There are no meetings within the Peace Conference today.