(4) The whole question of the employment of neutral tonnage in line with the proposals made by neutral countries with respect to this tonnage was exhaustively discussed and plans looking to the favorable result of tonnage negotiations with neutral countries were substantially agreed upon.

(5) A survey was completed of the ports of debarkation of American troops and supplies, and plans were made looking to the more expeditious discharge of troops and cargoes so as to permit the return of vessels to their home ports with the least possible delay.

VI. WAR TRADE

(1) Full and detailed conferences were held with the British, French and Italian representatives upon blockade matters, and a complete understanding was obtained of the principles under which these countries were proceeding.

(2) A mass of information was obtained with reference to rationing requirements of Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Holland.

(3) An agreement between the War Trade Board and the Swiss Society of Surveillance was agreed to and executed by the Swiss delegates and Mr. McCormick, the chairman of the War Trade Board.

(4) Arrangements were made for the participation of the United States in the deliberations of the Permanent International Commission on Contingents, sitting in Paris and on the Interallied Commission of Bern, Switzerland.

(5) Tentative plans subject to the approval of the War Trade Board were made for the appointment of representatives and staffs of the War Trade Board in London and Paris.

VII. WAR INDUSTRIES

(1) A detailed study was made of the organization of the British Ministry of Munitions and the supply departments of the British Admiralty and the British War Office, and a complete analysis of the facts and figures in possession of these departments of the British Government was made. The report embodying the results of these investigations contains a full statement of the methods in vogue in England for supplying the army and navy with munitions and other materials, and also statistics relating to the mutual co-operation necessary to be effected for

WHOLE FOOD PROBLEM STUDIED

379 the proper supplying of the armed forces of the countries waging war on the Central Powers.

(2) A survey was made of the system in practice in Great Britain relating to the letting of Government contracts and the organization of industries throughout Great Britain.

(3) Attendance at the Interallied Conference in Paris and in particular at the meetings of the representatives of the several allied nations having to do with munitions questions.

(4) Full conferences with representatives of the United States Ordnance Department in France and representatives of British and French munitions departments stationed there, resulting in the embodying of conclusions in memoranda submitted to the War Department.

III. FOOD

(1) A comprehensive and accurate estimate was obtained of the food in the possession of the allied nations and of the amounts that must be supplied by North America during the year ending October 1, 1918. Cabled information had not been of a satisfactory nature and personal contact with the statistical boards and food administrations of the countries concerned was necessary in order that the necessary data could be made available.

(2) The curve of shipments of foodstuffs required from North America for the United Kingdom, France and Italy was fixed for the year ending October 1, 1918. It is believed that the program worked out in the conference with the several interallied executives dealing with supplies of foodstuffs will grant greater facilities for the distribution of foodstuffs at a lower cost in terms of tonnage and transportation.

(3) In order to permit the United States to visualize the problem of food control in North America, plans were worked out whereby the Governments of Great Britain, France and Italy agreed to put into effect a legalized and compulsory control of foodstuffs in these countries.

(4) The creation by the Interallied Conference in Paris of an International Scientific Committee on Alimentation, to consist of two representatives each of the United States, Great Britain, France and Italy.1 This committee to be in continuous session in Europe for the purpose of studying the alimentation of the Allies. This committee to stand in 'A delegate representing Belgium was subsequently added.

1

an advisory capacity to the food administrations of the aforenamed

countries.

(5) Dr. Taylor, the representative of the Food Administration on the mission, represented the United States Department of Agriculture in a conference held in Paris to consider the problems of food production in the allied countries during the year 1918. At this conference, an Interallied Agricultural Committee was established to consist of one delegate each from the United States, Great Britain, France and Italy, to sit continuously in Europe and to act in an advisory capacity to the Governments named.

RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED TO UNITED STATES

(1) That the United States exert all their influence to secure entire unity of effort, military, naval and economic, between themselves and the countries associated with them in the war.

(2) Inasmuch as the successful termination of the war by the United States and the Allies can be greatly hastened by the extension of the United States shipping program, that the Government and people of the United States bend every effort toward accomplishing this result by a systematic co-ordination of resources of men and materials.

(3) That the fighting forces of the United States be dispatched to Europe with the least possible delay incident to training and equipment.

IV. STATEMENTS OF POLICY

The Rapallo meeting in November, 1917, was the first session of the Supreme War Council, resulting in the constituent agreement and the organization of the Board of Military Representatives. Its second session consisted of the meetings at Paris, November 29-December 3, 1917, when the Interallied Naval Council, an allied shipping board, the Interallied Munitions Council, the Interally Council on War Purchases and Finance, the Permanent International Commission on Contingents, the International Scientific Commission on Alimentation and the International Agricultural Committee were either provided for or made subordinate to the council. The third session was held at Paris, January 30-Febru

MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL

381

ary 2, 1918, and the fourth session at London, March 14-16, resulting in a statement on the Brest-Litovsk "peace."

The fifth session was held May 1-2 at Versailles and elsewhere in France. Naval and military advisers of the Governments, Generalissimo Foch and the commanders-in-chief of the American, British and French armies were present. The meetings were almost wholly concerned with military matters, the officials staying at the British Officers' Club at Abbéville, during the meeting. No official statement is available respecting that meeting.

The sixth session was held at Versailles June 3-4. In addition to the customary statement a second was issued respecting the aspirations of the Polish, Czecho-Slovak and Yugo-Slavic peoples. The session was attended by the British foreign secretary and Sir William Weir, chief of the British imperial general staff, besides the regular members. The presence of these two officials would suggest that the international political situation and the relation of the forces of the British self-governing dominions were discussed. The seventh session was held July 2-5, and was followed by a formal statement.

A meeting was held in France, during the week of October 7-12 which was attended by the premiers, foreign ministers, naval and military advisers and others.

A meeting of the Supreme War Council began on October 30 at Versailles. It rapidly developed into an Interallied Conference, for it was the body which, with naval and military representatives as advisers, fixed the terms of the Turkish, Austro-Hungarian and German armistices. "The conferences were attended by ministers representing France, Italy and Great Britain; by Colonel House representing the President of the United States; and by the naval and military advisers of the allied Governments; by representatives of Japan, Belgium, Serbia, Greece and Portugal; and also representatives of the Czecho-Slovaks. The first matter dealt with was the final elimination of Turkey from the war. . . . After the fullest consultation with both naval and military advisers the Supreme War Council agreed upon armistice conditions [for Austria-Hungary]. . . . The Supreme War Council proceeded to

consider the answer which they are making to the President of the United States covering his correspondence with the German Government . . . and the reply they should give to the German request for an armistice. . . . After the fullest deliberation with their naval and military advisers a complete agreement as to conditions was reached among the Allies." 1

The enemies of Germany have come to look to Versailles for regular statements of their general policy in the conduct of the war. Apparently by agreement the summary of the American report given above did duty for a more formal statement on the first meeting. Since then the statements have been formally issued either from Versailles or London. They have been important guide posts for public opinion and before examining the activities of the committees it will be well if the reader has these to peruse as a whole. The formal statements issued, since the two sessions of the Supreme War Council in connection with the Interallied Conference of November-December, 1917, have been as follows:

THIRD SESSION, JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 2, 1918

Seven meetings of the third session of the Supreme War Council were held at Versailles, January 30 and 31, February 1 and 2:

In addition to the members of the Supreme War Council itself, namely, Monsieurs Clemenceau and Pichon for France, Mr. Lloyd George and Lord Milner for Great Britain, Professor Orlando and Baron Sonnino for Italy, and the military representatives of the Supreme War Council, Generals Weygand, Wilson, Cadorna and Bliss, there were also present for the greater part of the purely military discussions the French and British chiefs of general staff, Generals Foch and Robertson, the Italian minister of war, General Alfieri, and the commanders-in-chief on the western front, Petain, Haig and Pershing.

Mr. A. H. Frazier, first secretary of the United States embassy at Paris, was present during the political discussions.

The Supreme War Council gave the most careful consideration to the recent utterances of the German chancellor and the Austro-Hungarian

1

2

1 Premier Lloyd George, House of Commons, November 5, 1918.

* See texts of the speeches of January 24, 1918, by Chancellor Hertling for Germany and Count Czernin for Austria-Hungary, A League of Nations, Vol. I, No. 3, pages 139-158.