Paris Peace Conf. 180.03401/12
CF–12
Notes of a Meeting Held at President Wilson’s House in the Place des
Etats-Unis, Paris, on Wednesday, May 14, 1919, at 11:45 a.m.
Paris, May 14, 1919, 11:45 a.m.
- Present
- United States of America
- President Wilson.
- Mr. McCormick.
- France
- M. Clemenceau.
- M. Clementel.
- British Empire
- The Rt. Hon. D. Lloyd George, M. P.
- The Rt. Hon. Lord Robert Cecil, M. P.
- Lt. Commander Arnold Forster.
- Italy
| Secretaries— |
Count Aldrovandi. |
| Sir Maurice Hankey. |
| Interpreter— |
M. Mantoux. |
Proposals With Regard to the Blockade
of Germany
1. Lord R. Cecil stated that there were two
subjects for consideration; viz., (a) A Public
announcement indicating the present position of the Blockade of Germany
and stating that it would be raised in the event of signature of the
Peace Treaty (Annex 1), (b) a plan of the
measures to be taken in the event of its being decided to re-impose the
blockade. (Annex 2.) In referring to this plan Lord Robert Cecil drew
attention to the proposal in the last paragraph that the Governments of
the neutral countries contiguous to Germany should now be invited to
consent to prohibit trade with Germany if called upon to do so. This
would make it possible to exercise a more immediate and more effective
pressure on Germany, if such pressure should become necessary.
2. Statement with regard to the present position of the blockade (Annex
1).
Mr. Lloyd George drew attention to the words in
the first sentence of the statement “as soon as the German
representatives have signed the Treaty of Peace.” He suggested that
after the signature of the treaty the German assembly might repudiate
it.
M. Clemenceau asked whether it would be
necessary to wait for the approval of the Treaty by the Allied
Parliaments, before raising the blockade. It was agreed that this would
be unnecessary.
[Page 600]
President Wilson proposed that the words quoted
above should be amended to read:—
“as soon as Germany has formally accepted the Treaty of
Peace.”
It was agreed that the Statement should be published, subject to this
amendment.
3. Measures to be taken in the event of reimposition of the blockade.
President Wilson stated that this was not the
time to discuss whether we should or should not reimpose the blockade in
the event of Germany refusing to sign the Peace Treaty. In his judgment
the most suitable means of pressure would be some kind of military
occupation rather than blockade measures which would tend to reduce her
population to starvation and despair. To have our armies in an area thus
starved would not be an edifying spectacle. Blockade would be more
terrible than military occupation and presents many inhumane features;
if it were reimposed it would presently become distasteful to the world
The President expressed grave doubts whether the blockade should be
reimposed unless no other course were open.
Mr. Lloyd George was of opinion that in any
case the application of the blockade would only be necessary for a
fortnight or three weeks. An excuse was wanted in Germany for signing
the Peace Treaty. The fear of the reimposition of the blockade would
provide such an excuse. Haase,1 for
example is afraid of the blockade. There is a pressure in Germany
against signing the Treaty, which is a very painful Treaty to sign.
Mr. Lloyd George expressed himself as all in
favour of a military occupation as a demonstration but not as the only
means of pressure. Some parts of Germany would not mind a military
occupation. After only a fortnight of the reimposed blockade there would
be a general cry to Scheidemann2 of “Sign, Sign”.
4. On the question of the declaration of a formal blockade.
Lord R. Cecil drew attention to the statement
of the British Admiralty as to objections to such a declaration; he
understood that the Admiralty view was that the ships now in commission
were insufficient for the maintenance of a strictly “effective”
blockade.
President Wilson said that the United States
had never admitted the legality of the existing form of blockade. The
Admiralty caveat was thus a little inacceptable.
Lord R. Cecil said that whether the blockade
was absolutely effective or not did not matter, what mattered was the
general stoppage of trade.
[Page 601]
President Wilson added that there was a
difference between blockade breaking and blockade running. Under the
conditions indicated by the Admiralty there might be cases of blockade
running: but a definite breach of blockade, such as would render it
legally ineffective, would require a naval force which Germany does not
now possess.
It was agreed that if blockade measures have to be reimposed a formal
blockade should be declared. No definite decision was arrived at as to
whether blockade measures should or should not be taken in the event of
Germany refusing to sign the Peace Treaty: but it was understood that
such preparations would now be made as would render it possible to give
effect to the blockade measures proposed, in the event of its being
necessary to take such action.
In particular it was agreed that the Demarche to Neutral Governments
referred to by Lord E. Cecil (see general note at end of Annex 2) should
be made now.
5. Lord R. Cecil referred to the possibility of
exercising economic pressure on countries, which were appealing to the
Allies for assistance and supplies, and were at the same time fighting
with their neighbours in defiance of the wishes of the Council.
He cited the case of Poland which is at present engaged in operations
against the Ukraine. He referred also to the food supplies withheld by
Serbia in the Banat.
He suggested that the Council might on occasion think it desirable to
notify the Supreme Economic Council that economic pressure should be
applied in such cases.
It was agreed that this should be done and that the Supreme Economic
Council should be free to take such action as seemed to them desirable
in such cases.
[Annex I]
supreme economic council
[Public Announcement Indicating the
Present Position With Regard to the Blockade of
Germany]
The Supreme Council of the Principal Allied and Associated
Governments have authorised the following statement as to the
present position of the blockade against Germany. Arrangements have
been made to remove the blockade against Germany immediately and
completely as soon as Germany has formally accepted the Treaty of
Peace.
In the meantime the following temporary relaxations have already been
made for the duration of the Armistice.
[Page 602]
1. Foodstuffs.
The import of foodstuffs into Germany is now free within the limits
of a monthly ration of 300,000 tons of cereals and 70,000 tons of
fats. Foodstuffs within the ration may be exported to Germany
without formality from any country which is prepared to allow the
export to her. Fish imported from the neutral countries contiguous
to Germany does not count within the ration. Since March 25th, 1919,
the quantity of foodstuffs shipped to Germany by the Associ-ated and
Allied Governments has amounted to about 550,000 tons, of which
about 250,000 tons have been actually delivered. In effect Germany
is now free to import all the food for which she can pay.
2. Exports.
Exports of gold, silver, securities and war material are prohibited,
and other exports over land frontiers are free. As regards oversea
exports the Allied Governments have retained certain rights of
pre-emption over coal and dye-stuffs and certain other commodities.
Other articles can be exported freely to any country prepared to
accept them.
3. Black Lists.
All black lists of firms and persons in neutral countries have been
withdrawn, and all disabilities attaching to trade and
communications with such firms and persons have ceased to
operate.
4. Communications.
Commercial correspondence with regard to the export and import trade
of the character indicated above is permitted, subject to certain
regulations which have been accepted by the German Government, and
to the Enemy Trading Laws of the Belligerent countries.
5. Fishing Area.
The area open to German fishing craft has been largely extended. A
quantity of net thread, etc., for repair of nets has been allowed to
proceed from Holland in accordance with a request of the German
Government.
6. Exports from the Allied and Associated Countries
to the countries contiguous to Germany.
There is a free list of articles which may now be exported without
licence or other formality. In the case of other articles (except
where a control has been retained for domestic reasons) the rules as
to the obtaining of licenses and guarantees have already been
largely relaxed. Export will be further freed from formalities, if a
general guarantee is given by the Governments of the neutral
countries concerned that they will prevent re-export of such
imported articles to Germany without the consent of the Associated
Governments.
7. Raw Materials.
Permission has been given for the import of raw materials urgently
required for use in the German coal mines. Arrangements are being
[Page 603]
made for the early
shipment of these supplies, subject to the necessary finance being
forthcoming.
The principal difficulty with regard to the import of raw material is
the financial one. In order to obviate this difficulty as far as
possible the Supreme Economic Council has approved a plan whereby
Germany may be permitted to import rations of raw materials for the
urgent needs of the coal mining and other essential industries, in
so far as these requirements can be met from German-owned stocks in
neutral countries.
Annex II
supreme economic council
[Plan of Measures To Be Taken in the
Event of Its Being Decided To Reimpose the Blockade]
“In accordance with the instructions given by the Supreme Economic
Council at its meeting on May 5th, the Superior Blockade Council and
the Military and Naval experts consulting with the Council, submit
to the Council of Four the following report:
In case the German Government should refuse to accept the
preliminaries of peace, the following measures should be immediately
taken if the Associated Governments should decide to have recourse
to means of economic coercion:
(A) Declaration of formal blockade.
Declaration of a formal blockade of the whole of the coast line in
the occupation of the Germans, both in the Baltic and in the North
Sea.
Secretary’s Note: Since the adoption of
the foregoing recommendation, information has been received from
the British Admiralty, that they have strong objections to the
declaration of a formal blockade, and consider that the
re-establishment of the system of blockade in force before the
armistice would be sufficient to accomplish the object in view,
especially as more complete naval supervision of any permitted
sea traffic between the Nprthern Neutrals and Germany is now
possible.
(B) Danish, Dutch and Swiss Land
Frontiers.
Consideration was given to the question as to whether the
communications upon the Danish, Dutch or Swiss Frontiers on the
German side could be cut by the Allied troops. The Sub-Committee
appreciate the fact that, if all or any of these operations could be
carried out, the efficiency of the Blockade would be greatly
strengthened but they feel that these questions lie outside their
province.
[Page 604]
(C) Rhine.
The maintenance of a completely effective control upon traffic
between the banks of the Rhine.
(D) Bavarian Frontier of Germany.
The Inter-Allied Commission now in Vienna will take effective
measures to prevent exports and imports between Austria and
Germany.
(E) Czecho-Slovak Frontier of Germany
Polish Frontier of Germany
Requests to the Governments of Czecho-Slovakia and Poland effectively
to prevent any trade with Germany.
The Sub-Committee appreciate the supreme importance of Dantzig and
the Dantzig Polish Railway for the revictualling of Poland but they
were advised by the Representatives of the General Staffs that the
occupation of Dantzig and the control of the railway would entail
Naval and Military measures of such importance that they cannot be
considered at short notice.
(F) Renewal to the fullest extent of Measures
previously in force in the case of Neutrals in their relation to
Germany.
- (a)
- The Re-imposition of the
- (1)
- Censorship.
- (2)
- Black Lists.
- (3)
- Rations.
- (b)
- Reconsideration of the present Free List.
- (c)
- Withdrawal of all concessions made to the Germans under
the Brussels Agreement so far as these concessions represent
relaxations of previous blockade policy.
-
(Secretary’s Note:
Concessions not related to the Blockade were not
considered by the Council to come within the
province of this report.)
General Note: It would greatly increase the
effectiveness of the Blockade if the Neutral Governments of the
countries with whom agreements are now in force (Norway, Sweden,
Denmark, Holland and Switzerland) should consent forthwith to
prohibit if called upon by the Associated Governments to do so, all
exportation, re-exportation or transit of goods from or across their
respective countries to or from Germany, except with the consent of
the Associated Governments.”
