Office of the Historian
  1. Home
  2. Historical Documents
  3. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, The Paris Peace Conference, 1919, Volume VI
  4. Document 7

Paris Peace Conf. 180.03401/35

CF–35

Notes of a Meeting Held at President Wilson’s House in the Place des Etats-Unis, Paris, on Tuesday, May 27, 1919, at 11:15 a.m.

Paris, May 27, 1919, 11:15 a.m.
  • Present
    • United States of America
      • President Wilson.
    • British Empire
      • The Rt. Hon. D. Lloyd George, M. P.
    • France
      • M. Clemenceau.
    • Italy
      • H. E. M. Orlando.
Members of the Drafting Committee
United States of America Mr. Brown Scott.
British Empire Mr. C. J. B. Hurst.
France M. Fromageot.
Italy M. Ricci-Busatti.
Japan M. Nagaoka.
Sir Maurice Hankey, K. C. B. } Secretaries.
Count Aldrovandi.
Prof. P. J. Mantoux.—Interpreter.

1. After discussion with the Members of the Drafting Committee, it was agreed:—

1.
That the draft Treaty of Peace, omitting the military terms, and the clauses dealing with reparation and debt (since these wear a special aspect owing to the break-up of the Austrian Empire into several parts, which necessitates their examination from the point of view of their bearing on the interests and action of the several parts) shall be handed to the Austrian Delegates on Friday, May 30th, at Noon, and that the Drafting Committee shall proceed on this assumption. Treaty of Peace With Austria: Date of Handing Over
2.
That, as there was no time to print the Treaty in a final form, it should be handed to the Austrians in proof.
3.
That, as there is not sufficient time to print the Articles of the Treaty with the three languages on a single page, the Drafting Committee should have authority to print the clauses in the three languages on separate pages.
4.
That the Drafting Committee should devote themselves with the least possible delay to the consideration of the question referred to them on the previous day, namely, as to whether Austria was to be regarded as a new State, or as an old State, the inheritor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and should adopt whichever method proved most workable for the drafting of the Treaty.
5.
That the draft of the political clauses relating to the territory acquired by Italy from Austria for inclusion in the Austrian Treaty should be circulated at once by the Italian Delegation and considered that afternoon.
6.
That Sir Maurice Hankey should arrange with the Secretary-General for the immediate communication the same afternoon to the Czecho-Slovaks and other new States of the political clauses in the Treaty which concerned them.
7.
That the question of guarantees in the Treaty with Austria should be reserved, pending enquiry by M. Orlando to his military advisers.
8.
That Sir Maurice Hankey should ascertain whether the Credentials Committee had recognised the full powers of the Austrian Delegates as conferred in the name of German Austria.

2. Sir Maurice Hankey, in accordance with instructions, produced in the French and English languages a re-draft of the reply to the Austrian letter of the 24th May,1 asking that peace Adrian Letter negotiations might be opened with the least possible delay. Reply to the Austrian Letter

(The attached letter (Appendix I) was approved, and Sir Maurice Hankey was instructed to arrange with the Secretary-General for its reproduction for M. Clemenceau’s signature.

It was agreed that the Austrian Note and the reply should be published together as soon as the reply was dispatched.)

Villa Majestic, Paris , 27 May, 1919.

Appendix I to CF–35

Paris, 27 May, 1919.

[Draft Letter From the President of the Peace Conference (Clemenceau) to the Austrian Chancellor (Renner)]

Your Excellency: I have the honour to acknowledge your letter of the 24th May, asking that Peace Negotiations with Austria may be opened with the least possible delay.

I am asked by the Council of the Principal Allied and Associated Powers to reply that the Draft Treaty of Peace will be ready for presentation to the Austrian Delegation at St. Germain-en-Laye on Friday, May 30th, at Noon.

The following questions, however, must be reserved for further consideration, namely:—

1.
The size of the military force to be maintained in future by Austria.
2.
The question of Reparation and Debt.

These subjects wear a special aspect owing to the break-up of the Austrian Empire into its several parts, which necessitates their examination from the point of view of their bearing on the interests and action of the several parts.

  1. Appendix IV to CF–32, p. 37.↩