[Sailor Steve]

Wednesday, November 5, 1919

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

M Pichon’s Room, Quai d’Orsay, Paris, 10:30

Meeting of the Heads of Delegations of the Five Great Powers.


1. The Council has before it a draft telegram to Sir George Clerk.

Sir Eyre Crowe wishes to remark that he proposes to replace paragraph 2 on page 1 by the following paragraph: “The Romanian troops shall evacuate Hungary completely and shall withdraw to the other side of the frontier as fixed by the Conference: It is indispensable that they should allow full liberty to the Hungarian elections.” In the following paragraph he suggests that the words, “immediately thereafter” should be omitted. He wishes to give Sir George Clerk discretion on the question of the time when the Friedrich cabinet should withdraw. If he were to await the complete evacuation by the Romanian troops, this might be found too long.

S de Martino asks that a change be made in paragraph 1 of page 2, so as to follow the suggestion made by the Italian representative at Budapest.

(The text is agreed to read as follows: “Another suggestion had been made which charged the Inter-Allied Military Mission with the supervision of the organization … etc.”

Mr Polk suggests that the beginning of paragraph 3 on page 2 be changed to read as follows: “The Council would like to know whether, after having consulted the Inter-Allied Mission, and after … etc.”

Sir Eyre Crowe wishes to add to paragraph 3 of page 2, after the words, “by the Hungarian gendarmerie” the following words, “which might be placed under the Control, direct or indirect, of the Inter-Allied Military Mission.”

(This change is adopted, and it is agreed to put after paragraph 3 of page 2, the paragraph suggested by S De Martino)

(It is decided:

(1) That Sir Eyre Crowe should send to Sir George Clerk, in the name of the Supreme Council, the telegram.

(2) That the telegram sent by the Supreme Council to the Romanian Government at its meeting of November 3rd, 1919, should be communicated to Sir George Clerk.)


2. M Pichon inquires whether Mr Polk has received an answer on the subject from President Wilson.

Mr Polk says that the President will surely issue the convocation of the first meeting of the Council of the League of Nations; the only question is the form of thee letter which the President should write. This is still open and he expected an answer within a short time.

Sir Eyre Crowe wishes to state that the British Government has agreed upon Paris as the place of the first meeting of the Council.

M Berthelot states it is understood between Sir Eric Drummond, Colonel House and the French Representative that this meeting should only nominate the Commission charged with fixing the boundaries of the Sarre district. There still remains the appointment of the Commission for the Government of the Sarre district. As soon as the Treaty is put into force, the German Government might ask, to whom should the sovereignty over this territory be transferred. The difficulty might of course be solved by prolonging the military occupation regime until the Commission for the Government of the Sarre had been appointed; but it is important that the Allies should agree on this intermediary solution. From the French standpoint, however, it is quite certain that it would be wiser to appoint the Government Commission at once and that it is to especially please the American and British Governments that this solution might be accepted.

Mr Polk remarks that he understands that this is the view of his Government.

Sir Eyre Crowe fears that the Germans might cause trouble, if this is not fixed; Sir Eric Drummond however having agreed with his French and American colleagues, he (Sir Eyre Crowe) concludes that M Berthelot’s solution is correct.

M Berthelot remarks that of course Germany will be very likely to send notes to the Allies on the subject but as it is only a question of a few weeks at the most, he thinks it will be easy to gain the necessary time.

(It is decided:

(1) That Paris should be the place of the first meeting of the Council of League of Nations;

(2) That on the agenda of the first meeting of the Council the only matter taken up will be the appointment of the Commission charged with fixing the boundaries of the Sarre territory;

(3) That the present military occupation of the Sarre territory should continue until the Commission charged with the government of the Sarre district had been appointed.)


3. The Council has before it a note from the British Delegation.

(After a short discussion it is decided that Sir Eyre Crowe should notify the Delegates of the provisional Government at Memel that the permission requested could not be granted but that as soon as the Treaty of Peace was put into force the Allied and Associated Powers would welcome the cooperation of the local Officials who are natives of the country.)


4. The Council has before it instructions to General Niessel, President of the Commission charged with the control of the evacuation of the Baltic Provinces.

Sir Eyre Crowe points out that the last phrase of instructions paragraph 1, Section 5 entitled, “Action of the Allied Navy in the Baltic,” beginning with the words, “the Commission will serve as an intermediary” be removed.

(This is agreed to.)

Sir Eyre Crowe also wishes to remark that as far as transportation is concerned, the British Government would do all in its power, but cannot guarantee transportation.

M Berthelot states that General Niessel had already insisted before the Council on his Commission getting the necessary credits; it had adjourned the examination of this question, but General Niessel called the attention of the Council to a case which needed its immediate decision. From the information at hand, it seemed that Colonel Bermondt’s troops will probably be dissolved, and it is important to know what will happen to the Russian troops which make up his forces. Of course every effort will be made to have these troops put under General Yudenitch’s command, but a certain period might elapse before this can take place, and meanwhile it will be necessary to supply them if one does not want to throw them into the hands of the Bolshevists. He thinks it necessary to allot a certain amount of money to General Niessel which would be shared between the three Allies.

Mr Polk wishes to state that, as far as America is concerned, it can provide no funds for that purpose.

Sir Eyre Crowe also remarks that he questions the likelihood of his Government’s participation.

M Berthelot states that it is already well understood that each power should stand the expenses of its representatives; but there surely are bound to be common expenses, and it seems impossible to send this mission without a credit: France might decide to advance the sum for this purpose, it being well understood of course that the other Governments would reimburse it later.

Mr Polk remarks that the appropriations of the United States Government were so made that it can only pay the share of expenses for its own mission, and for a determined purpose.

M Berthelot explains that this is the reason he suggested a fixed amount. He thinks the Council should recognize the importance of the solution.

Sir Eyre Crowe inquires why they should not adopt M Berthelot’s solution, which is on the same lines as the procedure in the missions of Sir George Clerk and General Gough, where the British Government paid at first and the expenses were later shared.

M Berthelot agrees that France is ready to follow this procedure, if it is understood that the other Allies would reimburse her for their share.

Mr Polk states that his Government cannot give a penny towards a Mission of a political nature.

Sir Eyre Crowe emphasizes that his Government understands the mission to be a reply to the German demand for some body to supervise the German evacuation, and therefore it cannot countenance its becoming involved in political activities.

M Berthelot thinks the question is a more complex one.

Mr Polk says he is quite sure that General Niessel understands that the American representative has strict instructions not to become involved in questions of a political nature.

S de Martino thinks that it might be very difficult to make a difference between political questions and purely military questions; the one might involve the other; and he thinks it important that the Generals should get definite instructions in advance on political questions which might come up, so that the action they took should be covered by a common agreement.

M Pichon answers that it will be for the General to ask the Council for instructions. He sums up that the Commission will be the best judge of what measures it should take, and should they include or involve questions of a political nature, then the Council should be informed immediately and a decision given.

(It is decided:

(1) That in the section of instructions to General Niessel, entitled “Action of the Inter-Allied Navy in the Baltic” the phrase which reads, “The Commission will serve as intermediary between the Supreme Council and the Inter-Allied Military Mission,” should be omitted;

(2) That the Commission should keep strictly to the wording of their instructions and should refer to the Supreme Council any questions of a political nature involved in the carrying out of these instructions.


5. The Council has before it a list of questions prepared by the French Delegation.

M Berthelot reads and comments upon this list. He wishes to remark that on the list submitted, certain questions might not belong to the Supreme Council and can be treated through ordinary diplomatic channels. He suggested that each delegation prepare a revised list on these lines, and the Secretary-General will coordinate all the lists handed in.

(It is decided that each Delegation should prepare a list of all questions which still remain to be taken up by the Supreme Council, and that the Secretary-General of the Conference should collate these lists for the Council’s examination.)


6. Mr Polk states that the Supreme Council has made a decision on the question of the tank ships on September 27th; this decision stands, but he personally has decided without knowledge of the full facts, wished to have the question raised at a later date when he had all available information. He simply wished this set upon the record.

(The meeting then adjourns.)