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

Paris Peace Conf. 184.00101/49

Minutes of the Daily Meetings of the Commissioners Plenipotentiary, Saturday, April 12th, 1919

April 12, 1919

• Present:
  • Mr. Lansing
  • Mr. White
  • General Bliss
  • Mr. Herter

1. Mr. Herter read a memorandum prepared by Mr. Westermann in which he inquired whether the quoted statement attributed to the President regarding his attitude toward the Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine was authentic. The Commissioners very much doubt whether the President had ever made any such statement, but requested that it be sent to the President with the statement as to its source. They desired that the President be asked whether this quotation were correct, and that it be added that in case it were not correct, they were of the opinion that it should be denied at once. Statement Attributed to Regarding Jewish Commonwealth

2. Memorandum No. 217 was read to which was appended a draft of a letter prepared by Mr. Grew to the Secretary General of the Peace Conference regarding the use of Italian on the same basis as English and French for all the official reports and clauses to be inserted into the Treaty of Peace. The Commissioners agreed absolutely that it would be unnecessary to include the Italian language with English and French as the official languages, stating that both of the latter languages could be called diplomatic languages, inasmuch as French is the diplomatic language of Europe and English the diplomatic language of the Far East. Italian has no such claim. The Commissioners felt, however, that as this was an international matter of some importance, it should more properly come before some such body as the Council of Ten for final decision. They request therefore that Mr. Grew prepare a letter to Mr. Dutasta⁸⁷ in the sense indicated in the preceding sentence. Italian on Official Reports Same Basis as English and French

[3.] Memorandum No. 218 was read recommending that Mr. Hoover be encouraged to give full publicity to the work of the Commission of Supplies and Relief, and that the Secretary General be directed at his discretion to bring to the attention of representatives of the press important reports describing the present famine conditions in Russia, and to take such other measures as might seem necessary to present that information to the German public. This recommendation was based upon the reports received from Germany to the effect that the lower classes in that country were convinced that they will be able to obtain food from Russia if only they turned Bolshevik and made an alliance with the Russians. The Commissioners approved of the recommendations in question, likewise stated that if a suitable opportunity arose they would explain this matter to the press. Recommendation Regarding Publicity of Work of Comm. of Supplies and Relief

4. Memorandum No. 219 was read, to which was appended a memorandum from Dr. Lord to Mr. Grew with regard to the whole question of the suspension of Arms between the Poles and the Ukrainians in Eastern Galicia. The Commissioners request that a copy of the memorandum in question be forwarded to the President under cover of a letter which Mr. Lansing agreed to sign. This covering letter should call the President’s attention to the fact that the Council of Four [Ten] definitely committed itself on this subject by its telegram of March 19th⁸⁸ and that the present action of the Poles appeared to be a direct violation of the desires of the four Chiefs of State as indicated in that telegram. Suspension of Arms in Eastern Galicia

87. The Secretary General of the Peace Conference.
88. See BC–53, minute 2, vol. iv, pp 405–412.