[Sailor Steve]

Thursday, June 26, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

President Wilson’s House, Place des Etats-Unis, Paris, 11:00

Meeting of the Council of Five


1. Mr Lloyd George announces his intention of making a protest against some of the statements made in public speeches by Signor Tittoni, the new Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. His protest will be made in particular against the reference to the agreement of St Jean De Maurienne and to statements about African Colonies.

Baron Sonnino, in reply to a question by Mr Lloyd George, says that the proper medium for communicating such a protest would be through the British Ambassador in Rome.


2. M Dutasta says that he had during the morning seen Herr von Haniel who informed him that the Germans have already nominated two of their plenipotentiaries, namely Herr Müller, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs,
and Herr Giesberts, the new Postmaster-General. The third member will probably be Herr Leinert, the Chairman of the Prussian National Assembly. The German plenipotentiaries are due to arrive on Saturday morning early by the ordinary train, to which special carriages will be attached. Herr von Haniel had spoken to him as to the verification of the credentials and he had replied by proposing that it should take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 28th. Von Haniel had agreed, and had undertaken to wire to the Germans accordingly. Later, von Haniel had spoken of the need of verifying the text of the copy of the Treaty of Peace to which the signatures were to be appended, in order to ensure that it was identical with the 200 copies that had been sent to the German Delegation. He had replied that this would be a long operation. Von Haniel had agreed, and had said that the German Government would be willing to give up this formality if the Allied and Associated Powers would guarantee that the text to be signed was the same in every particular as the 200 copies.

Mr Lloyd George recalls that a global list of amendments had been sent and that it is important the Germans should realize that these are included.

(It is agreed that the President of the Conference should give the German Delegation the assurance they desired.)

M Clemenceau instructed M Dutasta to prepare the necessary letter.

(It is further agreed that the signature of the Treaty of Peace should take place at 15:00 on Saturday, June 28th, and that the verification of credentials should take place at 10:00 on the same date.)


3. M Dutasta says that von Haniel had wishes to know whether M Clemenceau proposes to make a speech. He had said that he could give no official reply, but unofficially he was sure Affixing of Seals that M Clemenceau had no such intention, and that the ceremony would be confined to the formality of signature. Herr von Haniel had then asked about affixing seals.

(It is agreed:

1) That the seals of the representatives of the Allied and Associated Powers should be affixed to the Treaty of Peace at the Office of the Secretary-General, Quai d’Orsay, on Friday, June 27th, at 14:00.

2) That the Secretary-General should arrange with the Secretaries of the various Delegations to bring the seals at that hour.

3) That the seals of the German Delegates should be affixed to the Treaty on Saturday morning at the meeting held to verify credentials.)


4. M Clemenceau states that the French Government proposes to hold a review of troops on July 14th, when the representatives of the Army would march under the Arc de Triomphe, down the Champs Elysées and thence to the Place de l’Opera. He hopes that General Pershing and General Sir William Robertson will be able to march with the French Generals at the Head of the procession and that the American, British and Italian contingents will be furnished. He also asks that any Japanese Military representatives in Paris might take part. He makes a special appeal that Naval contingents might in addition be available.

President Wilson, Mr Lloyd George, Baron Sonnino and Baron Makino agree to give the necessary instructions to the United States, British, Italian and Japanese Military and Naval Authorities.


5. M Clemenceau hands to M Mantoux, in French the following document, which M. Mantoux reads in English.

“The German Government possesses information according to which the populations of the territories in the East, which, according to the conditions of the Treaty, are to be separated from Germany, have doubts and erroneous views as to the date of the cession of these territories; the same applies to the local authorities and Military Chiefs. In order to prevent misunderstandings and disagreeable incidents, it seems desirable in the interests of the two Parties, to notify the interested circles without delay, of the fact that the Treaty of Peace will not come into force from the signature, but only at the moment provided in the definite stipulations of the Treaty, and that until then the present situation is maintained. For the territories in question which are on our side of the line of demarcation, the necessary action has already been taken on Germany’s part.

The Allied and Associated Governments are asked, so far as concerns the territories situated on their side of the line of demarcation, to take as soon as possible the proper steps.”

Mr Lloyd George says that this is the letter of a man who does not wish to see trouble.

President Wilson thinks it a perfectly reasonable request. He supposes that by “line of demarcation” is meant “the Armistice line”.

M Clemenceau says he did not understand exactly what the Germans want done.

President Wilson says it is for us to let the people on the other side of the Armistice line know what has been arranged.

Mr Lloyd George suggests that the document should be referred in the first instance to the Legal Advisers for their views.

(This is agreed to.)


6. President Wilson reads a letter he has received from Mr Lansing covering a draft of a communication to the Government of the Netherlands.

Mr Lloyd George says he thinks that this was a very able document. He questions however whether it would be advisable to postpone sending this document until the ratification of the Treaty of Peace. He says he received information that morning (as he had notified his Colleagues on arrival) that the Crown Prince had fled from Holland, and had been identified driving to the East in a motor car in company with a German Staff Officer. He presumes that the Crown Prince’s flight is for mischief. The fact that he had gone with a Staff Officer gives the impression that there is some conspiracy. He had seen in the newspapers that an attempt was being made by the Military party in Germany to upset the Treaty of Peace. This makes him wonder whether it is safe to leave the Kaiser in Holland. He has often thought that action ought to have been taken before in this matter.

President Wilson questions whether action can be taken before ratification.

Mr Lloyd George suggests that action could be taken on the ground of public safety. If the Kaiser reached Germany a dangerous situation might arise, and war might be facilitated.

President Wilson says he does not dispute this. He is only seeking for the legal basis for action.

M Clemenceau says that the demand could be based on the escape of the Crown Prince and the danger of renewing the war if the Kaiser escaped.

President Wilson suggests that it would be sufficient to approach Holland at once with urgent representations, begging them that the Kaiser should not be allowed to leave the country. At present the Crown Prince and the Kaiser both had the right to leave the country if they wished, but in view of the signature of the Treaty of Peace he thought that Holland would have the right to refuse their departure.

Mr Lloyd George says that he would put the matter on the ground of the inflammable state of Germany.

M Clemenceau suggests that Mr Balfour should be asked to draft a dispatch to the Dutch Government.

(It is agreed:

1) That Mr Balfour should be asked to draft a dispatch to the Dutch Government, asking them to take precautions to prevent the departure of the Kaiser.

2) That Mr Lansing’s dispatch to the Government of the Netherlands requiring the Dutch Government to hand over the Kaiser should be approved for use when the occasion arises.)

Baron Makino reserves his assent to this despatch until he has had an opportunity to study it more closely.


7. M Clemenceau again asks that time might be given to him before he gives his final assent to the trial of the Kaiser in England.


8. The Council has before them a proposal which has been forwarded to President Wilson by Mr. McCormick recommending that after the Bela Kun Government of Hungary has withdrawn its military forces within the line fixed by the Allied and Associated Powers, and after the Bela Kun Government of Hungary has suspended military operations against the surrounding States as specified by the Allied and Associated Powers, the Blockade of Hungary be raised in the same manner as has been done for German Austria, to permit shipments of food, raw materials, animal products, manufactured articles and all ordinary commodities, excluding, however, all implements of war, gold, securities or other values which would reduce the power of Hungary to complete such reparations as may be imposed upon her.

(It is agreed that the Superior Blockade Council should be authorized to carry out this recommendation as soon as they are notified by the Allied and Associated Powers that Hungary has actually complied with the requirements of the Principal Allied and Associated Powers.)


9. M Clemenceau communicates the letter which he had received from Bela Kun stating that the Romanian Army had not conformed to the formal request of the Peace Conference to put an end to all bloodshed.

It is agreed that the telegram should be sent to General Bliss, who should be asked if Bela Kun’s statement in regard to the attitude of the Romanians is correct.


10. M Mantoux reads a dispatch from the Military Representative in Paris of the Serbo-Croat-Slovene State addressed to Marshal Foch, indicating that Italian units had attacked Yugoslav units and occupied certain districts in the region of Tarvis.

Baron Sonnino says he knew nothing about any action in the region of Tarvis. All he knows is that at an earlier date some Italian troops on the invitation of the four Military representatives of the Allies had advanced in the region of Villach. If he is given a copy he will undertake to make inquiry.

M Clemenceau instructs Captain Portier to send him a copy.


11. Mr Lloyd George says he has received a letter from Dr Benes.

(It is agrees that this letter should be circulated both to the Military Representatives of the Supreme war Council at Versailles and to the Members of the Council.)


12. Mr Lloyd George points out that a question of shipping the Czechoslovak forces from Vladivostok was raised by the above letter. He asks that President Wilson and Baron Makino respectively would inquire as to whether any United States shipping or Japanese shipping is available for this purpose.

President Wilson said that most of the United States shipping had been taken away from the Pacific Coast and he doubts whether much could be done. He agreed however to make inquiries.

Baron Makino said that a similar inquiry had been made by the Romanian Government who wished to repatriate Hungarian prisoners in Siberia and natives of the districts which were being transferred to Romania. He will undertake to make inquiries.


13. it is agreed that the Committee proposed on the previous day should be set up to inquire how far steps have already been taken by the Allied and Associated Powers to carry out the various provisions of the Treaty of Peace with Germany and to make recommendations as to such further measures as should be adopted for this purpose.

M Clemenceau nominates M Tardieu to represent the French Government; President Wilson says that Mr Lansing should be asked to nominate a representative of the United States of America; Baron Sonnino undertakes to nominate an Italian Representative; Baron Makino undertakes to nominate a Japanese Representative and Mr Lloyd George undertakes to nominate a British Representative.


14. (It is agreed that the Military Representatives of the Supreme War Council at Versailles, with whom should be associated Belgian and Japanese Military Representatives as well as Naval and Air Rep-representatives of the five Principal Allied and Associated Powers, should work out for the consideration of the Council all details of the Inter-Allied Military, Naval and Aerial Supervisory Commissions of Control to be set up to ensure execution by Germany of the Military, Naval and Aerial clauses in the Treaty of Peace.)


15. (It is agreed that a proposal by the Admirals of the Allied and Associated Powers that the Commission to supervise the destruction of the fortifications, etc. of Heligoland, should be a Sub-Commission of the Naval Inter-Allied Commission of Control, should also be referred to the Military Representative[s] as above.)


16. Sir Maurice Hankey draws attention to the Report that had been furnished by the Prisoners of War Commission as to the measures to be adopted for the fulfillment of the terms of the Treaty of Peace in regard to Prisoners of War.

M Clemenceau asks that the subject should be reserved for the present.

M Mantoux, at M Clemenceau’s request, reads a telegram from General Dupont on the subject of Polish prisoners in Germany.

President Wilson points out that no steps can be taken for the repatriation of Polish prisoners until after the ratification of the Treaty of Peace.


17. President Wilson says that the only forms of mandate that he has seen were some that had been prepared by Lord Robert Cecil.

Mr Lloyd George says that he would circulate Lord Milner’s proposals on the subject.


18. Sir Maurice Hankey says that he and Captain Portier had made inquiries and had ascertained that the Reparation Commission had failed to secure an agreement with the states acquiring territory formerly part of the Austrian Empire in regard to the reparation and financial clauses.

A further Meeting is to be held at 11:00 that morning.


19. (It is agreed that the letter to Mr Paderewski that had accompanied the Polish Treaty should not be published until the signature of the Treaty.)


20. Sir Maurice Hankey hands round a document relating to the size of the Army of Occupation on the Rhine for consideration at an early date.

Note: It has since been ascertained that the document handed round is incomplete. The complete document will be circulated.


21. M Clemenceau says that he thinks the Council ought to hear the views of Marshal Foch as to what action should be taken if trouble should arise on the Eastern Frontier of Germany in connection with the Treaty of Peace. The Allied and Associated Powers have the duty to help the Poles to defend themselves if attacked, but it is a very difficult thing to do as if the Germans oppose, it will not even be possible to send any supplies through Danzig.

(After a short discussion it is agreed that the Military Representatives of the Supreme War Council at Versailles should be asked to consider the following questions:

1) In the event of trouble in the area ceded by the Treaty of Peace with Germany to Poland, what would they advise as to how the Allied and Associated Powers could best assist the Poles to establish their authority.

2) The composition and size of the Army of Occupation of the Plebiscite area in Upper Silesia, and the method of occupation of this area.)

(The Meeting then adjourns.)