Paris Peace Conf. 180.03401/96½
CF–96A
Notes of a Meeting Held at President Wilson’s House in the Place des
Etats-Unis, Paris, on Friday, June 27, 1919, at 4:30 p.m.
Paris, June 27, 1919, 4:30 p.m.
- Present
- United States of America
- British Empire
- The Rt. Hon. D. Lloyd George, M. P.
- Mr. C. J. B. Hurst, C. B., K. C.
- France
- M. Clemenceau.
- M. Pichon.
| Sir Maurice Hankey, K. C. B. |
} |
Secretaries. |
| Captain A. Portier. |
Note. During the 4 o’clock meeting,1 those
mentioned above adjourned to an adjoining room, where a short meeting,
recorded below, was held. The full meeting was then resumed.
1. Mr. Lloyd George said that Mr. Hurst had
prepared a text of a Convention to give effect to the agreement in
regard to the guarantee to be given by Great Britain to France. The
draft was based on an American draft, but one important alteration had
been made. The American draft made the agreement subject to approval by
the League of Nations in accordance with the Covenant of the League of
Nations. It had been pointed out, however, that in this case one member
of the Council could interfere with the validity of the agreement.
Consequently, in the British draft, it was made subject to the agreement
of the majority of the Council of the League of Nations. The British & American Guarantee to
France
President Wilson accepted the new draft and
asked Mr. Hurst to arrange with Mr. Brown-Scott to make a corresponding
alteration in the American draft.
Mr. Lloyd George said that M. Clemenceau must
realise that he was not in a position to bind the self-governing
Dominions, which had their own Parliaments, and this was provided for in
the Draft Convention.
M. Clemenceau said that he quite understood
this.
(Mr. Hurst was instructed to prepare a final draft.)
(The final draft is contained in Appendix I.)
Villa Majestic, Paris, 27 June, 1919.
[Page 736]
Appendix I to CF–96A
Assistance to France in the Event
of Unprovoked Aggression by Germany
Amended Copy Read To and Approved by President Wilson,
M. Clemenceau, and Mr. Lloyd George, 27.6.19.
Whereas there is a danger that the
stipulations relating to the Left Bank of the Rhine contained in the
Treaty of Peace signed at Versailles on June 28, 1919, may not at
first provide adequate security and protection to the French
Republic, and
Whereas His Britannic Majesty is willing
subject to the consent of His Parliament and, provided that a
similar obligation is entered into by the United States of America,
to undertake to support the French Government in the case of an
unprovoked movement of aggression being made against France by
Germany; and,
Whereas His Britannic Majesty and the
President of the French Republic have determined to conclude a
Treaty to that effect and have named as their Plenipotentiaries for
the purpose, that is to say:—
- His Britannic Majesty
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- The President of the French Republic
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
In case the following stipulations relating to the left bank of the
Rhine contained in the Treaty of Peace with Germany signed at
Versailles the 28th. day of June, 1919, by the British Empire, the
French Republic and the United States of America among other Powers:
- “42. Germany is forbidden to maintain or construct any
fortifications either on the left bank of the Rhine or
on the right bank to the west of a line drawn 50
kilometres to the East of the Rhine.
- “43. In the area defined above the maintenance and
assembly of armed forces either permanently or
temporarily, and military manoeuvres of any kind as well
as the upkeep of all permanent works for mobilisation
are in the same way forbidden.
- “44. In case Germany violates in any manner whatever
the provisions of Articles 42 and 43, she shall be
regarded as committing a hostile act against the Powers
signatory to the present Treaty and as calculated to
disturb the peace of the world”.
may not at first provide adequate security and
protection to France, Great Britain agrees to come immediately to
her assistance in the event of any unprovoked movement of aggression
against her being made by Germany.
[Page 737]
II
The present Treaty, in similar terms with the Treaty of even date for
the same purpose concluded between the United States of America and
the French Republic, a copy of which Treaty is appended hereto, will
only come into force when the latter is ratified.
III
The present Treaty must be submitted to the Council of the League of
Nations and must be recognised by the Council, acting if need be by
a majority, as an engagement which is consistent with the Covenant
of the League; it will continue in force until on the application of
one of the parties to it the Council acting if need be by a majority
agrees that the League itself affords sufficient protection.
IV
The present Treaty shall before ratification by His Majesty be
submitted to Parliament for approval.
V
The present Treaty shall impose no obligations upon any of the
Dominions of the British Empire unless and until it is approved by
the Parliament of the Dominion concerned.
The present Treaty shall be ratified and shall, subject to Articles 2
and 4, come into force at the same time as the Treaty of Peace with
Germany of even date comes into force for the British Empire and the
French Republic.
In faith whereof the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .
Done in duplicate at the City of Versailles, on the . . . . . day of
. . . . . . . . . . 1919.
