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Paris Peace Conf. 180.03201/6

FM-6

Secretary's Notes of a Meeting of Foreign Ministers Held in M. Pichon's Room at the Quai d'Orsay, on Saturday, April 19, 1919, at 3 p. m.

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1. M. PICHON said that he had received a letter from Baron Sonnino expressing his regret at his inability, owing to a pressing engagement elsewhere, to attend the meeting that afternoon. The Italian Government would, therefore, be represented by M. de Martino.

Enrolment of German Subjects in the Army of

Foreign Powers

The first subject on the Agenda paper related to the enrollment of German subjects in the army of foreign powers for the purpose of

assisting in the military training thereof. The following draft had been submitted for approval by the British Delegation:—

"No German male subject shall be permitted to become enrolled in the Army of any Foreign Power or to be attached to such army for the purpose of assisting in the military training thereof."

It was proposed that the clause should form Article 19A of the Military Peace terms.

MR. BALFOUR said that the arguments in favour of the Article proposed were very obvious. Germans had before the war been the greatest instructors of aggressive armies. Shortly, as a result of the Peace Treaty, large numbers of German officers would be thrown out of employment, and should they offer their services to all would-be militant powers, it was doubtful whether the last stage of the military situation of the world would be any better than the first. In his opinion, it was a moot question whether it would be worth while entering a special clause dealing with this matter in the Peace Treaty, but a good deal could obviously be said in favour of the proposal made by the British Delegation.

MR. LANSING declared himself heartily in accord with the purpose of the proposed resolution; but he was doubtful as to its ensuring the object sought. He thought the burden should be placed on the employer rather than on the employee. He wished particularly to call attention to the fact that German officers when so employed as military instructors in the Army of Foreign Powers would cease to be under German jurisdiction. In his opinion, the more sensible solution would be obtained by the Allied and Associated Governments entering into an agreement not to employ German officers as instructors in their armies.

M. PICHON thought that under the circumstances, the question should be dealt with by the League of Nations.

M. TARDIEU pointed out that something of the same sort had already actually been done in respect to the export of other war materials from Germany. This being the case, he failed to see why measures should not be taken to prevent Germany from exporting human war material in the shape of military instructors.

MR. BALFOUR said that he was greatly impressed by what Mr. Lansing had said. M. Tardieu had enquired why Germany should not be made to forbid the export of human war material. He would point out, however, that whereas "inhuman” war material could only be exported with the consent of the Government, no Government could stop any human being from taking a ticket to proceed to a foreign country where, after arrival, he could take employment as a military instructor.

M. TARDIEU thought that though the Government could not definitely prevent a subject from proceeding to a foreign country, it might never

theless be possible to frame a law preventing or prohibiting a subject under definite penalties from taking service in a foreign army.

MR. LANSING said he was very much in sympathy with the proposal to attempt to prevent German military training from being dispersed throughout the world. The question, however, was how best to accomplish this purpose. In the first place, Germany should be made to agree to send no military missions to foreign countries, and to take no official cognisance of military instructors sent abroad. Secondly, as a supplement to the above, all the signatories of the Peace Treaty must agree not to employ German military instructors. Thirdly, this prohibition should extend to the employment of Germans, naturalised after the signature of the peace treaty: otherwise there would be no security, as it would easily be possible for Germans to change their allegiance for the purpose of taking military service abroad.

MR. BALFOUR thought that similar provisions should be inserted in their respective treaties prohibiting all other enemy countries, e. g. Turkey, Bulgaria and Austria, from employing German instructors. MR. LANSING added that they should also get the Governments to agree not to send military students to Germany for military training. (It was agreed that Mr. Lansing should draft a clause for presentation to the Foreign Ministers at their next meeting, embodying the ideas set forth in the preceding discussion.)

Establishment of

2. M. PICHON proposed that these two subjects should be adjourned to the next meeting of the Foreign Ministers, as it would be necessary for him to consult the French technical advisers, and to receive replies from the French representatives on the Economic Council.

a German Commission at or Near Paris To Facilitate the Conduct of

Current Economic

Negotiations

Present Status of
the Commissions
Set Up Under the
Armistice With
Germany & Their
Relations to the
Supreme Economic
Council

3. MR. BALFOUR said that he wished in this connection to invite the attention of the Conference to the very real inconvenience which was now being caused by divided control in both the occupied and unoccupied parts of Germany. In these territories there were a number of purely civil questions to be settled, which required co-ordination between the various organizations, both in the area occupied by the French, British and American troops, and in the unoccupied areas. He felt very strongly that nothing should be done to interfere with the military control those areas, or with the full freedom of action of Marshal Foch. But since the questions of food, finance, and commerce were far more important than the narrow military standpoint, something should forthwith be done to improve the organisation which at the present moment was acting very slowly and in a very unsatisfactory manner. Consequently, though he did not press for the question to be discussed and settled at once, especially in view of M. Pichon's request that the matter should be postponed to the next meeting, he wished, nevertheless, to point out

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that the question, in his opinion, brooked no delay and should be settled as quickly as possible.

M. DE MARTINO said that the Italian Delegation were also studying the question and they would not be in a position to discuss it that afternoon. He supported M. Pichon's proposal that the question should be adjourned to the next meeting.

(It was agreed to postpone the question of the establishment of a German Commission at or near Paris to facilitate the conduct of current economic negotiations, and the question of the present status of the Commission set up under the Armistice with Germany and their relations to the Supreme Economic Council to the next meeting of the Foreign Ministers.)

4. M. PICHON read the following note, which had been submitted by the British Delegation:

Dutch Proposal for the Revision of the Treaties of 1839 as Between Belgium and the Netherlands

"Mr. Balfour has received a suggestion from Mr. Van Swinderen 1 that a Conference should immediately be set up in Paris, for the purpose of considering the question of the revision of the 1839 treaties, consisting of the five Ministers of Foreign Affairs with the Allied and Associated Great Powers, (or four, if Japan were to disinterest herself), and of the representatives of Holland and Belgium".

M. PICHON Continuing, enquired whether the proposal therein contained was accepted.

MR. BALFOUR said, in regard to the date for holding the proposed meeting, the question to be considered would not be included in the Peace Treaty with Germany. At the present moment, all the Foreign Ministers were overburdened with work in connection with the preparation of the Peace Treaties with the enemy powers. Consequently, he himself would not be prepared at the present moment to meet the representatives of Holland and Belgium, as suggested.

M. PICHON enquired whether a mission of plenipotentiaries could not be appointed to deal with the question.

MR. BALFOUR explained that the Dutch Government would very much prefer to discuss the question with the Foreign Ministers themselves. They were anxious not to be put under a Commission.

M. TARDIEU pointed out that the Belgian Government was also anxious to discuss the question at an early date with the Foreign Ministers.

BARON MAKINO said that it was the first time he had heard of this matter. He would therefore be obliged to reserve his definite adhesion for the present. This did not mean that any difference of opinion existed, but he would like to have an opportunity of examining the question.

(It was agreed that a Conference should be held in Paris as

1 1 Jonkheer R. de Marees van Swinderen, Netherlands Minister at London.

early as possible, for the purpose of considering the question of the revision of the 1839 treaties, consisting of the five Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Allied and Associated Great Powers and of the representatives of Holland and Belgium.

It was thought that this meeting could be held during the week commencing 28th April, 1919.

It was understood that the Japanese representative would participate in the Conference unless a notification to the contrary were communicated to the Secretariat General within the next 3 days.)

5. M. PICHON presented the following memorandum, dated April 11th, 1919, submitted by the Food Section of Latvia, Lithuania the Supreme Economic Council to the latter

Situation in and Esthonia

Council:

"The Food Section of the Supreme Economic Council has received the most urgent appeals from the Governments of Lithuania, Latvia, and Esthonia, and from the representatives of the Allied and Associated Governments in these countries.

The Food Section of the Supreme Economic Council finds it impossible to reply to these appeals until answers to the following questions have been obtained:

1. Do the Allied and Associated Governments intend to support the maintenance of independent Governments in Lithuania, Latvia, and Esthonia?

2. If so, would this decision be in any way affected should an agreement be entered into between any one or all of these States and the Bolshevists Government, whereby their integrity and their territorial independence would be guaranteed?

3. Are the Allied and Associated Governments agreed that one or more of the Associated Powers should, once this responsibility has been accepted, help these Governments by every means in their power (e. g. financial, moral, and material assistance) other than the despatch of Allied troops?

4. Are any of the Associated Powers prepared to make to any one or all of these Governments a loan or to open credits in their favour?

5. Is the Food Section of the Supreme Economic Council correct in assuming that the effective occupation of Latvia and Lithuania by the German troops must continue until the next harvest?

6. Are the Allied and Associated Governments agreed that the Russian white troops in Esthonia must be assisted, both morally and materially, by the supply of food and by giving them other assistance, both

(a) in order to maintain the independence of Esthonia, or
(b) in order to carry out a possible attack against the actual
Russian Government?

7. What is the line of demarcation that the Allied and Associated Governments intend to lay down between Poland and Lithuania in connection with the distribution of food supplies?"

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