[Sailor Steve]

Saturday, January 10, 1920

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

M Pichon’s Room, Quai d’Orsay, Paris, 11:30

Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
(This is the same group as always, but the name has been changed.)


1. Mr Wallace refers to a reservation made by the American Delegation to the resolution of the Supreme Council on the subject dated December 9, 1919.

He explains that he has been authorized by his Government to accept, in the name of the United States, the suggestion made by Sir Eyre Crowe on the 9th of December on the subject of employing native troops in the Togo and Cameroons; to the effect that the text of Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations will be maintained but interpreted with reference to the minutes of the Council of Ten, of January 30, 1919; in other words, in the event only of a general war, France will be allowed to raise within the territory held under her mandate native troops to be employed in her own defense as well as in that of the territories in question.

M Clemenceau reads the text of the arrangement concerning the Inter-Allied military organization which would take effect after the coming into force of the Treaty of Versailles; the arrangement was couched in these terms:

“The Allied and Associated Governments decide that the Interallied military organization shall continue under the presidency of Marshal Foch at Versailles and shall have as terms of reference:

“(a) to act as advisory council to the Allied and Associated Governments in military questions arising out of the execution of the Treaty of Peace with Germany.

(b) to carry into execution the orders given it by the Allied and Associated Powers in matters concerning the Commissions of Control and the Allied forces of occupation in the Rhineland and Plebiscite areas.”

Mr Lloyd George says that in the name of the British Government he very gladly agrees to the proposal put before the Council. It is necessary that that organization should continue to sit at Versailles. Versailles is a word to which public opinion in England was accustomed. Further, he should very much like that that organization should be consulted not only upon the military questions arising out of the execution of the Treaty with Germany but also upon military questions bearing upon other issues of common interest to the Allies. Among such questions he would cite those affecting southern Russia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, where the situation - and he is going to discuss it shortly with the Council - is very grave.

Mr Matsui points out that during the war Japan had not been represented on the Versailles Military Council. The Council is now being prolonged; is it understood that Japan will be represented?

Mr Lloyd George says that this depends upon Japan; that it was Japan itself that had not wished to be represented in the former Council.

Mr Matsui asks whether they would have any objections in the event of his Government being prepared to be represented.

Mr Lloyd George feels that the Allies will have no objection whatever.

S Nitti approves the proposal submitted to the Council.

(It is decided that the Inter-Allied military organization should continue under the presidency of Marshal Foch at Versailles and have for instructions:

(a) To act as advisory council to the Allied and Associated Governments in the military questions arising out of the execution of the Treaty of Peace with Germany;

(b) To execute the orders given it by the Allied and Associated Powers in matters concerning the Commissions of Control and the Allied forces of occupation in the Rhineland and Plebiscite areas.

It is further decided that, should the occasion arise, the Council can be consulted upon all military questions of common interest to the Allies which the latter might be agreed to submit to it.

Mr Wallace will refer this resolution to Washington for instructions of his Government.)


2. Mr Lloyd George tells the Council that they have just received from the Caucasus very disturbing news. The Bolsheviks are advancing upon the Caspian; if, having entirely defeated Denikin’s army, they should reach the sea, it is possible that the Turks might join with them, an event which would throw the States of the Caucasus into a desperate situation. It becomes incumbent, therefore, on the Council to find out whether it would be wise to support those States by sending them, for example, arms and ammunition to facilitate their resistance to the Bolshevist drive. He does not mean to express in that place an opinion upon so delicate a question, but suggests referring it to the military organization at Versailles which without prejudicing the political solution might be able to give them the information of a purely military nature which they required in order to take a decision.

M Clemenceau thinks it might be good if the British Delegation drafted a memorandum which the Council could submit to the military council at Versailles.

(It is decided to refer to the Versailles Military Council the question of the aid it might be necessary to give to the Caucasian States against the Bolsheviks. The British Delegation will prepare a memorandum upon the subject which will be submitted to the Versailles Military Council for immediate examination and report to the Supreme Council.)

Mr Lloyd George expresses his regret at again proposing a subject not down on the agenda. But the agenda for that meeting is rather long and might possibly occupy them for quite a considerable time. There is a danger of its being so on the following days. M Clemenceau’s time is extremely limited as indeed is his own, for he will doubtless have to return to England shortly on account of serious labor troubles. To save time, he would suggest recourses to a method of organization that had already been tested, namely, to constitute on the one hand a Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which would examine questions relative to the Peace Treaty with Hungary and all questions of detail on which, for that matter, Lord Curzon was much better informed than himself and to form on the other hand, a Council of the Heads of Governments who would examine only the larger questions of general policy, the discussion of which had been essentially the object of his visit.

S Nitti supports Mr Lloyd George’s proposal. He too cannot prolong very much his stay in Paris. He would remind them that he should have to be in Italy for labor questions, the solution of which was urgent as well as for the re-opening of Parliament which is to take place before the end of the month. The Council of Heads of Governments ought naturally to deal with the question of the Adriatic, but it is desirable that it should also examine the Albanian question which he very earnestly desires to have solved before his departure. The maintenance of a force of occupation in Albania is costing them enormous sums and they anxiously desired to have it settled.

(It was decided that during the presence in Paris of the British and Italian Prime Ministers, there should be constituted:

(1) A Council of the Heads of Governments who would deal with questions of general policy;

(2) A Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs who will deal with questions arising out of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary and all matters not examined by the Council of Heads of Governments.)

(The meeting is adjourned.)