Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, The Paris Peace Conference, 1919, Volume IV

Paris Peace Conf. 180.03101/58

BC–51 SWC–17

Minutes of the Meeting of the Supreme War Council Held in M. Pichon’s Room at the Quai d’Orsay, Paris, Saturday, March 15th, 1919, at 3 p.m.

Paris, March 15, 1919, 3 p.m.

Present	Also Present
America, United States of	America, United States of
Hon. R. Lansing	General Tasker H. Bliss
Hon. E. M. House	Major General M. N. Patrick
Secretaries	Dr. S. E. Mezes
Mr. A. H. Frazier	Mr. I. Bowman
Mr. L. Harrison	Mr. J. B. Scott
Mr. G. Auchincloss	Colonel W. S. Browning
British Empire	Colonel E. G. Gorrell
The Rt. Hon. D. Lloyd George, M. P.	Captain S. Montgomery
The Rt. Hon. A. J. Balfour, O. M., M. P.	British Empire
Secretaries	General Sir H. H. Wilson, K. C. B., D. S. O.
Lt. Col. Sir M. P. A. Hankey, K. C. B.	Admiral Sir R. E. Wemyss, G. C. B., C. M. G., M. V. O.
Mr. E. Phipps	Rear Admiral G. P. W. Hope, C. B.
France	Major General W. Thwaites, C. B.
M. Clemenceau	Major General Hon. C. J. Sackville-West, C. M. G.
M. Pichon	Brigadier General P, R. C. Groves, D. S. O.
Secretaries	Lt. Col. F. H. Kisch, D. S. O.
M. Dutasta	Mr. C. J. B. Hurst, C. B., K. C.
M. Berthelot	Captain C. T. M. Fuller, C. M. G., D. S. O., R. N.
M. Arnavon	Paymaster-Captain C. F. Pollard, C. B., R. N.
M. de Bearn	France
Italy	M. Leygues
H. E. M. Orlando	Marshal Foch
H. E. Baron Sonnino	General Weygand
Secretaries	General Belin
Count Aldrovandi	General Degoutte
M. Bertele	General Duval
Capt. Fracchia	Admiral de Bon
M. Brambilla	General Le Rond
Japan	M. Tardieu
H. E. Marquis Saionji	M. Cambon
H. E. Baron Makino	M. Fromageot
H. E. M. Matsui	M. Degrand
	Comdt. de V. Levavasseur
	Comdt. Lacombe
	Lieut. de V. Odend’hal
	Italy
	Admiral Grassi
	General Cavallero
	M. Tosti
	Marquis della Torretta
	Japan
	Admiral Takeshita
	General Nara
	Colonel Nagai
	Captain Fujioka
	Captain Yamamoto

Joint Secretariat

America, United States of	Colonel U. S. Grant.
British Empire	Captain E. Abraham
France	Captain A. Portier.
Italy	Lieut. Zanchi.
Japan	M. Saburi.

M. Clemenceau said that Mr. Lansing had a resolution to propose.

Power for Representatives on the Inter-Allied Polish Commission to Visit German Parts of Poland Mr. Lansing then read the following resolution:—

It is agreed that:—

Marshal Foch is hereby requested to seek an early opportunity to arrange with the Germans that any member or delegate of the Inter-allied Mission to Poland shall be enabled at any time to visit any portion of the territories east of the Vistula still under German civil or military command.

Mr. Lansing explained that the purpose of the proposal was to obtain means of checking the alleged sale of arms to the Bolsheviks by the Germans whenever they evacuated territory. He presumed that similar information had reached all Governments on this score.

(No comment being made, the above resolution was adopted.)

2. M. Clemenceau said that to complete the nominations to the Aviation Commission, representatives of the smaller Powers were required.

Appointment of Representatives of Powers With Special Interests en the Aviation Commission M. Pichon proposed that the following Powers be invited to nominate members on this Commission:—

• Belgium
• Brazil
• Greece
• Roumania
• Serbia

He thought that it was necessary to designate the Powers that should be represented lest the incident relating to election of delegates for the Financial and Economic Commissions be repeated.

M. Clemenceau said he understood that each of the Powers mentioned would have the right to select their own delegate.

Mr. Balfour suggested that Portugal should be added to the list as the Azores were important as an air station.

M. Pichon said he had no objection to the addition of Portugal.

Mr. Lansing pointed out that Cuba had equally strong claims. Without Cuba the Allies would have had no sugar.

(It was therefore agreed that the following Powers with special interests should appoint members to the Aviation Commission:

• Belgium
• Brazil
• Cuba
• Greece
• Portugal
• Roumania
• Serbia

3. M. Clemenceau stated that he had received a message from President Wilson asking for the postponement of the discussion on the Military, Naval and Aerial Terms of Peace. In view of this request the discussion would be postponed until Monday, 17th March. Military, Naval and Aerial Terms of Peace

4. M. Clemenceau said that the remaining item on the Agenda was the report of the Polish Commission. As some of the Powers present were not ready to discuss this subject, it would be necessary to adjourn its discussion. Report of Polish Commission

(The meeting then adjourned.)

Paris, March 15th, 1919.