Office of the Historian

Paris Peace Cont 184.00101/37

Minutes of the Daily Meetings of the Commissioners Plenipotentiary, Friday, March 21st, 1919

March 21, 1919
  • Present:
    • Mr. Lansing
    • Mr. White
    • General Bliss
    • Colonel Olds
    • Mr. Herter

1. The Commissioners requested Colonel Olds to inform them just what assistance was being rendered by the Red Cross to the States bordering upon Russia. He explained that there was at present a small Red Cross organization in Siberia as well as an organization with the American Forces at Archangel, likewise a Red Cross Commission was at present in Poland and another in Germany assisting with the repatriation of Russian prisoners of War. Otherwise there was no Red Cross assistance being given to the various factions composing the Soviet Government. Requests had, however, been received from Denikin’s army for American Red Cross assistance, and Colonel Olds wished to learn of the attitude of the Commissioners in this matter.

[Page 130]

The Commissioners requested Colonel Olds to put in the form of a memorandum the whole question as it appeared to him, together with such recommendations as he might have to make. Colonel Olds agreed to do this and then withdrew.

2. The Commissioners discussed the question of the suggested agreement between France, England and the United States which had been brought up at their meeting on the previous day. They all expressed themselves very strongly against the principle involved in concluding such an agreement, and felt that the whole structure of the League of Nations would be most seriously compromised thereby. Mr. White was of the opinion that the time had come for a definite showdown with the French, and that unless an amicable agreement could be reached, we should sign a separate peace. The Commissioners felt that it was most essential that they should discuss the whole situation with the President in the very near future.

3. A memorandum prepared by Dr. Lord was read, suggesting that owing to the various successive steps which would have to be agreed upon in concluding the final armistice between the Poles and the Ukrainians it would be well to have this whole matter referred by the Council of Ten to the Inter-Allied Polish Commission in Paris. This course was agreed upon and Mr. Lansing took charge of the memorandum in order to bring the question up at the meeting of the Council of Ten in the afternoon.

4. Information Memorandum No. 44 was read with regard to the status of Lt. Col. Arthur Dryhurst Budd. The Commissioners agreed that Col. Budd should be informed that he had absolutely no connection with the American Commission to Negotiate Peace and that the Secretary General should likewise be directed to inform him that the Commissioners very seriously doubted the propriety of any American army officer acting as technical delegate for Panama or any other foreign country. They felt that such a statement would be sufficient to cause Col. Budd to either resign from the army or give up his position as technical delegate to the Panaman Delegation, but that in case he took neither one of these courses, further action compelling him to do so would be necessary.

5. Mr. Herter read a memorandum which he had received from Mr. Story quoting a press report received from Prof. Coolidge respecting an order which it was alleged that the British Naval representative in Hungary had issued that no ship could sail on the Danube without the permission of the Czecho-Slovak Government etc. The Commissioners requested that a letter be sent to Mr. Balfour, Mr. Lansing offering to sign this letter, inquiring whether the alleged order had in fact been issued. If this should prove to be true, the Commissioners [Page 131] felt that the question should immediately be discussed by the Council of Ten.

6. Information Memorandum No. 45 was read regarding the condition of Lord Northcliffe and was noted by the Commissioners with interest.

7. Information Memorandum No. 46 was read with regard to the French Embassy visaing passports of American citizens traveling on official business, and was noted by the Commissioners with interest.

8. Information Memorandum No. 47 was read quoting a telegram received from the Naval Attaché at Madrid, and was noted with interest by the Commissioners.