Paris Peace Conf. 184.00101/53
Memorandum of Discussion at the Meeting of the Commissioners, April 18, 1919, Regarding Fiume
- Present:
- Mr. Lansing
- Mr. White
- General Bliss
- Mr. Herter
Mr. Herter explained to the Commissioners that he had on the previous day, in accordance with a request from Mr. White, taken to the office of Colonel House a memorandum which the latter had submitted to the Commissioners suggesting a compromise settlement on the question of Fiume. Mr. Herter explained that owing to the fact that Colonel House was busy at the moment, he had returned the document in question to Mr. Auchincloss, and at the same time explained to the latter the views of the Commissioners in the premises as brought out at their meeting of the previous day. These views were briefly summed up as being (1) that it was entirely inconsistent to say that the sovereignty of Fiume should revert to Italy, whereas its administration was to be international and many concessions in the city itself were to be granted to the Jugo-Slavs, and, (2) that the whole question involved was one of principle and that it was impossible to compromise with a principle. In this question, either the city should be granted to the Italians and the Jugo-Slavs kept out, or else it should be granted entirely to the Jugo-Slavs and the Italians kept out. The latter solution was the one favored by the Commissioners. Mr. Auchincloss took exception to the views of the Commissioners as stated by Mr. Herter, on the grounds that it was perfectly practicable to place the sovereignty of the city in the hands of the Italians while making the administration international, since such a procedure was recognized in law with regard to many questions of property or estates. He likewise felt that in view of the tremendously strong stand which the Italians had taken in this matter, and in view of the fact that the American experts on this question differed as to its rights and wrongs, a compromise was the only possible solution. When asked what American experts believed that Italy had any valid claim to the city of Fiume, Mr. Auchincloss asserted that both Dr. Mezes and Mr. Miller were of this opinion, but that it was also undoubtedly true that some of our other experts were not.
General Bliss then observed that on the previous night Dr. Bowman had shown to him a letter to the President signed by the Chiefs of six Sections of the Bureau of Inquiry, in which those experts expressed to the President their absolute conviction that the Italian claims to the city of Fiume were absolutely unjustified. General Bliss felt that possibly this letter had been instigated because of the feeling among those experts that some compromise was being contemplated.
Colonel House entered the meeting.
Colonel House stated that he had come to the Commissioners’ meeting for the purpose of discussing the question of Fiume. He stated that the memorandum which he had sent down on the previous day had merely been a suggestion, and that it had not been shown even to the President (Mr. Auchincloss had told Mr. Herter on the previous [Page 157] afternoon that the substance of this suggested compromise had been informally brought to the attention of the Jugo-Slav representatives in Paris and that the indications were that it would be satisfactory to them). Colonel House added that he personally felt that there could be no such solution as a compromise, that the time had gone by when any further compromise could be made.
General Bliss stated most emphatically that he wished to go on record as being absolutely opposed to any settlement such as that suggested in Colonel House’s memorandum, that in his opinion such a settlement would bring upon Europe in a very short time a war the proportions and length of which could not be foreseen but which would undoubtedly be most extensive and most disastrous. Mr. Lansing likewise stated that the claims of Italy to this city had been originated only in the last few months, and had been encouraged and fanned into flame within Italy itself by government propaganda. He felt that the Italian threat of revolution, in case these claims were not granted, should not affect the American Delegation in the slightest in their determination as to what would be a just settlement. He likewise stated that it was not the function of the Peace Conference to stop interior revolutions, but to end international wars and that if, because the city of Fiume were not given to Italy, a revolution would break out in Italy, it would certainly be much better than having an international war started up.
Colonel House inquired whether the Commissioners likewise disapproved of the decision that had been reached in regard to Dantzig, since the settlement that had been suggested in regard to Fiume was very similar to that which had been agreed upon in regard to Dantzig. General Bliss again stated most emphatically that he believed the Dantzig solution to be unsound, if what the morning papers had published in this matter was to be accepted by him as being the final solution. He was unable to see how it would be possible for the Poles to maintain the sovereignty over Dantzig, and likewise to keep a garrison in that city where the administration would be carried out by the citizens, the majority of whom were German. Conflicts must inevitably arise between the local administration of the city and the Polish garrison. General Bliss then added that in his opinion it would be extremely dangerous for a League of Nations to guarantee the stability of such unsound settlements as appeared to have been agreed upon.
Colonel House then asked if the other Commissioners were definitely agreed that Fiume should remain in the hands of the Jugo-Slavs, to which Mr. Lansing, General Bliss and Mr. White affirmed most categorically that it was. Colonel House then added that he was of the same opinion as the other Commissioners, and that it would be best to have the matter out with the Italians as soon as possible, preferably on the next day.