Paris Peace Conf. 180.03401/146
IC–181D
Notes of a Meeting Held in M. Pichon’s Room at Quai d’Orsay, Paris, on Tuesday, May 6, 1919, at 5:30 p.m.
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Present
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United States of America
- President Wilson.
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British Empire
- The Rt. Hon. D. Lloyd George, M. P.
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France
- M. Clemenceau.
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United States of America
| Sir Maurice Hankey, K. C. B., | Secretary. |
| Professor P. J. Mantoux, | Interpreter. |
1. States To Be Represented at Meeting With the Germans It was agreed that all belligerent Allied and Associated States should be present when the Treaty the Germans peace was handed to the Germans.
2. Demilitarisation of German Territory West of the Rhine Mr. Hurst on behalf of the Drafting Committee reported that an important article had by mistake been left out of the final Draft of the Treaty. On the previous evening he recalled that the Drafting Committee had received a document purporting to come from M. Clemenceau in substitution for the articles that they had drafted on this subject. He had taken this fresh draft to Sir Maurice Hankey, who had also been approached on the subject by M. Tardieu, and Sir Maurice Hankey had obtained a consent to it of Mr. Lloyd George and President Wilson at a very late hour. A new text had then been incorporated in the final Draft of the Treaty, but on examination it was found that the following important article had been omitted:—
“In case Germany violates in any way whatever the provisions of Articles 42 and 43, she shall be regarded as committing an hostile act against the Powers’ signatory to the present Treaty and as intended ta disturb the peace of the world.”
President Wilson pointed out that this draft differed slightly from the original draft which he had prepared. He handed the original draft to Mr. Hurst.
(It was agreed that Mr. Hurst should inform the Drafting Committee that this article was to be reinstated with the wording changed so as to correspond more closely to the original draft.)
3. Publication of the Peace Treaty With reference to the decision taken in the morning that the summary of the Peace Treaty should be published on Thursday morning in the Press of all countries, it was further decided that no radio telegraphic summary should be sent out before mid-night on Wednesday, May 7th.
[Page 492](M. Tardieu undertook to communicate this decision to the Secretary General.)
4. Mr. Lloyd George said the only difficulty arose about Togoland and the Cameroons in regard to which he was not personally well informed.
The Late German Colonies Allocation of Mandates M. Clemenceau, with the consent of his colleagues, sent for M. Simon, the French Minister of the Colonies.
Mr. Lloyd George said in regard to Togoland, he understood the British had captured one half, and the French the other half. The French wanted the capital named Lome. In regard to the Cameroons, the British and French had each helped to capture it. He did not know what arrangement had been reached but he understood that Lord Milner had made some arrangement.
In regard to the Pacific, he said he understood that the Mandates would be allotted as follows:—
Australia should receive a Mandate of New Guinea, and the islands in the Bismarck Archipelago to the east of New Guinea.
New Zealand should receive the Mandate for Samoa.
The Japanese could receive a Mandate for certain islands north of the Equator.
President Wilson agreed in all the above.
Mr. Lloyd George said having regard to the island of Nauru, some difficulty had arisen as the Governments of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, all had certain interests. He suggested the best plan would be to give the Mandate to the British Empire which would arrange exactly how it would be dealt with.
President Wilson said that if a Mandate was once assigned it could not be handed over to one of the Dominions.
Mr. Lloyd George said that the island was very valuable owing to phosphate deposits, and the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, were all interested in these.
President Wilson said that the policy of the open door would have to be applied. He drew attention to Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, which provided for “equal opportunities for the trade and commerce of other members of the League”.
Mr. Lloyd George suggested that it was essential that the Mandatory should have the right to apply a tariff as this was the only method by which they could raise revenue.
President Wilson pointed out that the United States possessed islands in the Samoan group.
In assigning the German Islands to New Zealand, difficulties would arise if a tariff were applied.
(At this point, M. Simon entered.)
[Page 493]M. Clemenceau asked M. Simon to state what arrangements had been made as regards Togoland.
M. Simon said none had been written. The position was that the British occupied one part and the French another. He himself had been authorised by the French Government to discuss the matter with Lord Milner, and they had searched for a basis of agreement. It would probably suit both parties if the French part were joined on to Dahomey and the British part to Ashanti. The only railway was occupied by the British. He had asked Lord Milner to make a division which would be suitable to both countries and in regard to the Tribes. Lord Milner had then left for England, and the negotiations had been broken off at a time when, in his opinion, an understanding had nearly been reached.
In regard to the Cameroons there was complete agreement. The Cameroons he stated were divided by a mountain range, and he explained on a map how one part could be conveniently joined to Nigeria and the other part to French territory. He had agreed this with Lord Milner, and they had arranged their scheme to suit the Tribes.
Mr. Lloyd George made the following proposal that France should become the mandatory for the Cameroons, subject to an arrangement between France and Great Britain for a readjustment between the Cameroons and Nigeria, this agreement being submitted to the approval of the League of Nations.
In regard to Togoland he understood that mandates were difficult. The country was cut into small bits, and it would be found that half of a tribe was under a mandate, and the other was not. He suggested that the principle of mandates should not apply in this case.
President Wilson thought it was difficult to avoid mandates under the Treaty Clauses.
Mr. Lloyd George stated that the Treaty Clauses would merely hand over Togoland with the other former colonies to the Allied and Associated Powers, which would have a free hand to arrange for their disposal.
President Wilson agreed that the arrangement must be accommodated to the circumstances.
Mr. Lloyd George proposed that M. Simon should before 11 a.m. on the following day prepare a scheme on the following lines:—
Great Britain and France to make a joint recommendation to the League of Nations in regard to the division of Togoland. France to have a mandate for the Cameroons, subject to a joint recommendation which the British and French Governments would make to the League of Nations for a rearrangement of the boundary between Nigeria and the Cameroons.
(The above was agreed to.)
[Page 494](M. Simon withdrew, but shortly afterwards returned and asked that the portion of the Cameroons which the Germans had forced France to give up in 1819 [1911] should not be subject to a mandate.)
President Wilson suggested that this should be included in the joint recommendation.
(This was agreed to.)
5. Treaty With Austria and Hungary President Wilson asked if any answer had been received to the Treaty with invitation to Austria and Hungary to send representatives to Paris.
M. Clemenceau said the Hungarian Government had fallen, and no answer had been received. A message had been sent by the French Representatives in Vienna stating that an answer had been sent, but it had not yet been received.
6. Undertaking by the united States of America & Great Britian to France At the end of the Plenary Meeting, which preceded this meeting, Mr. Lloyd George on behalf of Great Britain and President Wilson on behalf of the United States of America handed to M. Clemenceau an undertaking to come to the assistance of France in the event of aggression by Germany. (Appendix.)
Villa Majestic, Paris, 6 May, 1919.