3. M. PICHON said that a memorandum (See W. C. P. 578) had been submitted by the Supreme Economic Council dealing with such Present Status of lows: questions as were not economic in their nature, and fell therefore outside the scope of the Supreme Economic Council. The proposals contained in the memorandum had received the approval of the French authorities. Briefly those proposals could be summed up as fol "1. That an Inter-Allied Commission, consisting of four Commissioners, one from each Ally concerned with the administration of the occupied territories, should, together with an Italian liaison officer, be set up with full authority to co-ordinate the administration of the four Army Commands on all economic, industrial and food questions, in accordance with the policy laid down from time to time by the Supreme Economic Council. 2. That orders should be issued under the authority of the Supreme War Council to the Army Commands in the various areas, that directions given by the Commission shall be uniformly executed throughout the whole area." MR. LANSING enquired for what period of time the proposed InterAllied Commission would be expected to function. M. PICHON explained that the Supreme Economic Council had only been created for the period of the armistice. Consequently, as soon as the Peace Treaty came to be signed, the armistice would end, and the Supreme Economic Council would cease to function, unless steps were taken to prolong its existence. The same procedure would obviously apply to the new proposed Inter-Allied Commission. LORD ROBERT CECIL agreed. MR. LANSING said that on that understanding he was quite willing to accept the proposals contained in the memorandum submitted by the Supreme Economic Council for the Council of Ten. (It was agreed to accept the proposals contained in the Memorandum submitted by the Supreme Economic Council. See W. C. P. 578.) (The Meeting then adjourned to Tuesday afternoon April 22nd at 3.00 p.m.) PARIS, 21st April, 1919. Paris Peace Conf. 180.03201/8 FM-8 Secretary's Notes of a Meeting of Foreign Ministers Held in M. Pichon's Room at the Quai d'Orsay, Paris, on Wednesday, 23rd April, 1919, at 3 p. m. 1. M. PICHON asked Mr. White to read the draft Article which he understood had been prepared by the American delegation. Article for In- MR. WHITE read the following draft which had been prepared by Mr. Lansing, in accordance with the general principle agreed to by all Powers: "Germany hereby agrees not to make any pecuniary claim of any kind directly or indirectly against any of the Allied and Associated belligerent Powers, or against any of the Powers which have severed diplomatic relations with her, based on events which occurred at any time before the coming into force of the present treaty. All such claims, whether by Governments, states, municipalities, corporations, or private individuals, are hereby declared to be barred, and finally extinguished." M. PICHON inquired whether any delegates had any comments to make on this draft. MR. BALFOUR said that the draft appeared to him to be unobjectionable, but he would enquire whether it had been before the Drafting Committee; if not, it would seem reasonable that it should be referred to it after the meeting had considered it in principle. MR. WHITE Concurred that if the Council approved the tenor of the proposed Article, the draft should be referred to the Drafting Committee. (The proposed Article was approved in principle, and the American draft was referred to the Drafting Committee for adaptation and insertion among the clauses of the Preliminary Treaty of Peace.) 2. The following draft was before the meeting:— Articles for Insertion in the Treaty of Peace Giving the Allied and Associated Powers the Right To Fly and Alight on Enemy Territory After the Conclusion of Peace Without Reciprocity 1. "The aircraft of the Allied and Associated States shall be accorded full liberty of passage and landing over and in the territory and territorial waters of Germany, and shall while exercising any rights of passage or landing in Germany enjoy full national treatment particularly in case of distress by land or sea. 2. The aircraft of the Allied and Associated States shall, while in transit to any other State, enjoy the right of flying over the territory and territorial waters of Germany without landing. 3. All aerodromes in Germany open to national public traffic shall be open for the aircraft of Allied and Associated States, and in any such aerodrome such aircraft shall be treated on a footing of equality with German aircraft as regard charges of every description, including charges for landing and accommodation. In addition to the aerodromes mentioned above Germany undertakes to provide and construct aerodromes in such other places as may, within one year from the date of the signature of the Treaty of Peace, be designated for this purpose by the Allied and Associated States and the provisions as to charges mentioned above shall apply in the case of any such aerodromes. 4. All certificates of nationality, certificates of airworthiness, certificates of competency and licences, issued or rendered valid by any of the Allied or Associated States shall be recognised by Germany as valid and as equivalent to corresponding certificates and licences issued to German aircraft. 5. As regards internal commercial air traffic the aircraft of the Allied and Associated States shall enjoy throughout Germany treatment accorded to aircraft of the most favoured nation. 6. Germany undertakes to adopt measures to ensure that every German aircraft flying above its territory shall comply with the Rules as to Lights and Signals, Rules of the Air and Rules for Air Traffic on and in the vicinity of aerodromes contained in the Convention relating to International Air Navigation made between the Allied and Associated States. 7. The obligations imposed by these clauses shall continue until such time as Germany (is admitted either to the League of Nations or,) by consent of the Allied and Associated States, is permitted to adhere to the Convention relating to International Air Navigation made by the latter States. NOTE: Similar clauses can be adapted for application to other enemy powers." M. PICHON said that he understood this draft was agreed to by the French and British Delegations. MR. BALFOUR said that he had examined the draft together with his experts, and the only article which appeared to him questionable was Article 3. The second clause of this Article stipulated that the Germans should construct aerodromes wherever it might appear convenient to the Allied and Associated Powers to have aerodromes established. This, he thought, was an irritating clause, and one from which the Allies would derive little benefit. He raised no objection to the first clause in the third Article, but the second clause appeared to him unreasonable, and he would prefer to suppress it. MR. WHITE expressed agreement with Mr. Balfour. M. DE MARTINO said he was informed that the object of this provision was to give power to demand the creation of aerodromes in Germany, which might be required for the establishment of big International air routes. It was quite possible that the Germans might exhibit systematic ill-will towards international arrangements of this kind. Without some such clause as the one under discussion the Allies would have no power to enforce compliance from them. MR. BALFOUR admitted that there was much force in the argument put forward by M. de Martino. He pointed out, however, that for traffic from east to west, there already existed in Germany a sufficient number of aerodromes. The use of these aerodromes by the Allied and Associated Powers was ensured by the first part of Article 3. The second part of Article 3 stipulated that the Allied and Associated Powers must signify their wishes within one year of the 314579-43-VOL. IV-39 date of the signature of the Treaty of Peace. He questioned whether this interval was sufficient to give the means of fulfilling M. de Martino's purpose. M. DE MARTINO said that he did not wish to insist, in as much as he felt that the obvious advantage of facilitating international traffic would ultimately be sufficient to prevail over any remaining illwill from the Germans. It would alone in time, induce them to build the desired aerodromes. BARON MAKINO agreed to the suppression of the second clause of Article 3. M. PICHON then declared this clause suppressed and the remainder of the Article accepted. CAPTAIN MCNAMEE said that he had a comment to make on Article 7. This Article provided for the admission of Germany to the Convention relating to International Air Navigation, either as a consequence of admission to the League of Nations, or by consent of the Allied and Associated States. He pointed out that this was inconsistent with the Convention, itself, which contained no provision for the adhesion of Germany. Article 40 of that Convention provided that powers which had not taken part in the present war should be admitted to adhere, but there was no provision for Powers other than the signatories which had taken part in the war. MR. BALFOUR suggested that the matter be referred to the Drafting Committee with the object of reconciling the two texts. CAPTAIN ROPER said that there was really no contradiction as the Commission dealing with the Convention on Aerial Navigation had never intended to exclude Germany for ever from the Convention. He thought the period after which Germany might be admitted was a matter for the Supreme Council to decide. The present text of the Convention was not final, and was being considered by the Drafting Committee of the Commission. A change could easily be made in order to produce harmony between the Convention itself and the clauses to be inserted in the Treaty. CAPTAIN MCNAMEE expressed the opinion that there should be a time limit expressed; otherwise there was an appearance of tampering indefinitely with the sovereignty of Germany. M. PICHON said that if this were regarded as a derogation to German sovereignty, Germany would have to complain of many other such. The same might be alleged with regard to her admission to the League of Nations, which could only be by the consent of the original members. MR. BALFOUR observed that the clause contained two alternatives; one, that Germany should become a party to the Convention as soon as admitted to the League of Nations; secondly, that she might become a party to the Convention when the Allied and Associated |