the same footing in these two countries as the Allied States and their subjects. I have the honour to suggest the following text for such a provision: "Belgium shall enjoy the rights and advantages stipulated in favour of the High Contracting Parties of the first part in the present Treaty with regard to reparation for damage caused during the war to Belgian subjects in Turkey (or in Bulgaria) as well as in regard to all economic matters, questions of transport and aerial navigation." You will notice that this text approximates to that of Article 41 inserted in the draft Treaty with Germany in favour of Luxembourg. It seems hardly necessary for me to add that unless some such provision be inserted in the Treaties with Turkey and Bulgaria, the position of Belgium and of Belgian subjects would be entirely lacking in the indispensable guarantees. I avail [etc.] To M. CLEMENCEAU. M-156 Appendix III to IC-187 [FM-16] Text of Three Articles Submitted by the Polish Delegation for Inclusion in the Treaty of Peace With Austria RESTORATION AND SURRENDER TO POLAND BY GERMAN AUSTRIA OF ARCHIVES, WORKS OF ART, AND SCIENTIFIC OBJECTS Article I. The Government of German Austria undertakes to restore and hand over to the Polish Commissioners, with the least possible delay, all Archive Papers, Registers, Inventories, Maps, Plans and in general all Documents relating to territories which have passed under Polish rule, whether those territories formed part of the Austrian Monarchy, or whether they were occupied by the latter. To be included amongst others, all Documents, Papers and Registers containing Title-deeds, or concerning Justice, or the Civil or Military Administration of the countries forming part of Poland, Staff Maps and Plans, Plans and Projects for regulating Waterways, Mines, etc., Moulds and Casts of the said Plans, as well as all historical Documents which belonged to the Archives of Poland, or were taken away therefrom, exported and incorporated in the Central or other Archives of Austria from 1772 down to the present day. Will also be restored to Poland and handed over without delay to the said Commissioners, all Libraries, Museum Collections, Works of Art, Scientific and Religious Objects, as well as historical Souvenirs which for any reason of a political, military or religious nature, were sequestrated, confiscated, removed or exported from the said territories, either by the Civil or Military Officials of Austria-Hungary, or by private persons, and that, even if these objects were incorporated in other Collections of the former Austrian Monarchy from 1772 down to the present day. It is understood that the objects comprised in the preceding paragraphs will be restored and handed over whether they belonged to the former Republic of Poland, or to any of the successive forms of the Polish State, to the Polish Crown, to Public, Religious, Communal, Scientific and Artistic Institutions, or to private owners, but having a public character. If the restoration or surrender should not be effected, owing to the destruction or loss of the objects mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, the Government of German Austria undertakes to indemnify Poland in kind or in money for losses incurred under this head. If only a part of the Administrative District of the Commune or of the "Mairie" is detached, the Archives concerning it will remain in the part in which the chief County Town is situated. The Polish Government and the Government of German Austria undertake to communicate to each other, in original, bit by bit, at the request of the superior Administrative Authorities, to be restored, and for a fixed period, all Documents and information relating to affairs which concern both the detached territories and the territories remaining in the possession of German Austria. The same Governments undertake, at the request of the other State, to supply each other free of cost with authentic copies of documents which may be demanded. Article II. In order that the preliminary work may proceed without hindrance the Polish Commissioners and their assistants, duly authorised by their Government, will have access to all Public Institutions, Offices, Archives, Libraries, Museums, Palaces and Collections which may contain the above-mentioned Objects, as well as to the Inventories, Minutes, Official Documents, and to the Depositories of the said Institutions, Offices, Palaces and Collections, in order to draw up a precise list of the Objects to be claimed by the Polish State. The procedure and method of restoration and of handing over will be settled according to the principles established by the principal Allied Powers in other analogous cases. The present possessors of Objects to be claimed by Poland will not have the right to transfer them before restoration, or to injure them in any way. A reserve is made for cases of absolute necessity, but the Polish Government must be informed thereof immediately. Article III. Poland will, moreover, have the right to claim a part of those Austrian State and Crown Collections at Vienna which were acquired formerly, and paid for out of the Revenues of all the States which belonged to the Monarchy. Poland's share will be determined by the general rules which will at a later date be laid down for all countries which formed part of the Monarchy, and especially for Italy. Appendix IV to IC-187 [FM-16] Letter From Dr. Benes to M. Dutasta (Translation) PARIS, May 9th, 1919. SIR: According to information which reaches us in the newspapers and in telegrams from Vienna the Austrian Government intend sending to Paris, either as plenipotentiaries or as experts, specialists on the regions in dispute between Austria and the neighboring States, and in particular the Czecho-Slovak Republic. We have no objection to the Austrian Delegation presenting their case with all the means at their disposal and by the competent persons. We are, however, obliged to call the attention of the Conference to the fact that the Austrian Government perhaps intends to make a kind of special demonstration by appointing as their Delegates and sending to the Conference persons belonging to the regions in dispute. I think that this procedure is inadmissible. The decisions of the Conference in regard to the regions of the Germans of Bohemia have been arrived at and have been presented to the German Delegation in the Preliminaries of Peace. The question of the Germans of Bohemia is regarded as one which has been definitely established and the Germans of Bohemia are considered to be citizens of the Czecho-Slovak Republic. At the same time the period allowed for opting and the juridical measures to be taken have been provided for when any particular case arises of a German of Bohemia not wishing to become a Czecho-Slovak citizen. I therefore think, Sir, that each plenipotentiary and expert of an official character who may come to the Paris Conference should be really Austrian, that is to say that he should be domiciled in German Austria and not in any of the regions in dispute whose future has already been decided. It would be impossible from a legal point of view for a man to come to Paris to contest to the Czecho-Slovak Republic certain districts and subsequently to return to Bohemia where, according to the laws of the country, he would have to be punished for the crime of high treason. It is impossible for the Czecho-Slovak Government to be placed in such a situation and I therefore beg the Secretariat-General to present to the President of the Conference the following request: The French representative at Vienna, M. Allizé, might draw the attention of the Austrian Government to the fact that the decisions already taken by the Conference demand that only persons domiciled in German Austria and not in the regions under dispute should be included amongst their Delegates. Apart from the decisions of the Conference which have been already taken this solution is necessary from the mere point of view of tact. I think, Sir, that it would be best to avoid in this manner any incidents which might arise between the Austrian Government and the Delegations of the other States which inherit Austrian territory. I think that those Delegations would be unanimous in disputing the validity of the powers of Austrian Delegates whose legal quality might be doubtful. I have [etc.] (Signed) EDWARD BENES |