Paris Peace Conf. 184.00101/52
Minutes of the Daily Meetings of the Commissioners Plenipotentiary, Friday, April 18, 1919
April 18, 1919
- Present:
- Mr. Lansing
- Mr. White
- General Bliss
- Colonel House
- Mr. Herter
- 1.
- Colonel House observed that the question of Fiume would shortly come up for consideration by the Council of Four, and asked the other Commissioners’ opinions in regard to a certain memorandum on this subject which he had sent down to them on the previous day. The Commissioners discussed [Page 155] at some length the whole question of principle involved in the settlement of the problem of Fiume, and finally came to a decision as to what, in their opinion, the ultimate disposition of this city, together with its immediate Hinterland should be.88a Question of Fiume
- 2.
- Memorandum No. 229 was read regarding the printing in French of the speeches and messages of President Wilson from the date of his landing in Brest. The Commissioners felt that at the time when they had first considered this matter, namely, on March 5th, there was some reason for having the speeches and messages in question printed in the French language, but that inasmuch as the Peace Conference was nearing its end, the same reason no longer existed. They therefore requested that the matter be dropped altogether. Speeches and Messages of President Wilson
- 3.
- Memorandum No. 230 was read regarding the authenticity of a statement attributed to President Wilson respecting his attitude toward the Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine. The Commissioners felt that in view of the rather ambiguous phrasing of the President’s reply to an inquiry as to the authenticity of the statement in question it would be safer not to make any official denial thereof. Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine
- 4.
- Memorandum No. 231 was read with regard to the sending of an American Mission to Syria at the present time. The Commissioners noted carefully the views presented by Drs. Westermann and King, Mr. Crane and Prof. Lybyer in this matter. After some discussion they agreed that it would be best to give up entirely the sending of a purely American mission to Syria at the present time inasmuch as such a mission could scarcely furnish data upon which the Commissioners could base their decisions with regard to the problems in the Near East in a sufficiently short time, and inasmuch as the arrival of such a mission in the Near East might be construed as indicating the special interest of the United States in certain regions and thereby arousing either false hopes or create local disturbances. American Commission to Syria
- See memorandum printed infra.↩