Paris Peace Conf. 180.03801/7
ICP–20
Notes of a Meeting Held in M. Pichon’s Room, Quai d’Orsay, Paris,
Friday, January 16, 1920, at 4 p.m.
Paris, January 16, 1920, 4 p.m.
- Present
- America, United States of
- Secretaries
- Mr. Harrison,
- Mr. Winthrop.
- Great Britain
- Secretary
- France
- Secretaries
- Mr. Dutasta,
- Mr. Berthelot,
- Mr. Massigli.
- Italy
- Secretary
- Japan
- Secretary
Interpreter: Mr. Mantoux
The following were also present for items in which they were
concerned.
This meeting took place immediately after the reception of the Hungarian
Plenipotentiaries. (See I. C. P. 19.)1
Mr. Lloyd George communicated to Mr. Matsui the
report of the Committee charged with the examination of the question of
the commercial policy to be followed towards Russia and approved by the
Council at its morning meeting. (See I. C. P. 18.)2
1. Commercial Policy Towards Russia
Mr. Matsui: (Having read the document) I shall
communicate this report to my Government. It does not, however, seem to
be of very great interest for Japan.
Mr. Lloyd George: handed to Mr. Clemenceau and
Mr. Nitti a draft communiqué to the Press prepared by Mr. Philip Kerr
and Mr. Wise.
Mr. Clemenceau: I should like to make certain
modifications of this draft, using for that purpose the draft prepared
by Mr. Berthelot. (See Appendix “B” to I. C. P. 18).3
[Page 886]
After some discussion the draft communiqué to the Press, as contained in
Appendix “A”, was approved.
Mr. Matsui read the text of the note addressed
to the Dutch Government concerning the surrender of Wilhelm II. (See
Appendix “B”.) 2. Surrender of Wilhelm II
Mr. Clemenceau: The note will be delivered this
evening at 6:30 p.m. to the Dutch Minister.
Mr. Matsui: This is the first time that I have
seen this document. The question has already been examined and a draft
approved, but I cannot give my approval to the new text without first
referring to my Government.
Mr. Clemenceau: It is impossible to delay the
communication which must be made to the Dutch Government.
Mr. Wallace: I myself have not known anything
about this note.
Mr. Lloyd George: This is a matter concerning
the execution of a Treaty which the United States has not yet ratified.
The Allies can inform Mr. Wallace of their decisions upon the subject;
but it is difficult for them to ask him to participate in the
discussion.
Mr. Wallace: I would simply wish to point out
that I was not concerned in the drafting of this document.
Mr. Lloyd George: When we hear the Hungarian
plenipotentiaries we are concerned with the preparation of a new Treaty;
the presence of the American representative was therefore quite natural.
In the other meeting, however, we were examining various measures of
execution of a Treaty which we have ratified; only the Powers who had
ratified could participate in the discussion.
Mr. Clemenceau: The note to the Dutch
Government will be presented in the name of the Council, but not in the
name of the United States, which have not ratified the Treaty, nor in
that of Japan, which has not yet approved the draft. Mr. Matsui can, if
he so desires, address a note on the subject to the Secretariat General,
or present his remarks at the next meeting: they will then be recorded
in the minutes.
(The meeting then adjourned.)
Appendix A to ICP–20
Note re the Decision To Permit the
Exchange of Goods on a Basis of Reciprocity Between the Russian
People and Allied and Neutral Countries
With a view to remedying the unhappy situation of the population of
the interior of Russia, which is now deprived of all manufactured
[Page 887] products from outside
Russia, the Supreme Council, after having taken note of the report
of a Committee appointed to consider the re-opening of certain
trading relations with the Russian people has decided that it would
permit the exchange of goods on the basis of reciprocity between the
Russian people and Allied and neutral countries. For this purpose it
decided to give facilities to the Russian Cooperative Organisations
which are in direct touch with the peasantry throughout Russia so
that they may arrange for the import into Russia of clothing,
medicines, agricultural machinery, and the other necessaries of
which the Russian people are in sore need, in exchange for grain,
flax, etc., of which Russia has surplus supplies.
These arrangements imply no change in the policy of the Allied
Governments towards the Soviet Government.
Paris, January 16, 1920.
Appendix B to ICP–20
Note to the Queen of Holland
Demanding the Delivery of the Kaiser for Trial
The Powers, in communicating herewith to the Government of the Queen
the text of Article 227 (certified copy annexed hereto)4 of the Peace Treaty with Germany,
which was put into force on January 10, 1920, have, at the same
time, the honor to advise that they have decided to enforce the
provisions of that Article without delay.
Consequently, the Powers address the official request to the
Government of the Netherlands for the surrender to the Allies of
William of Hohenzollern, ex-Emperor of Germany, in order that he may
be put on trial.
As the persons residing in Germany against whom complaint has been
lodged by the Allied and Associated Powers must be surrendered to
them in compliance with Article 228 of the Treaty of Peace, the
ex-Emperor, if he had remained in Germany, would have been
surrendered under the same conditions by the German Government.
The Dutch Government is aware of the unassailable reasons which
imperatively demand that the premeditated violations of
international treaties, as well as systematic disregard of the most
sacred rules of international law, suffer, irrespective of persons,
no matter of how high position, the penalties provided for by the
Peace Congress.
The Powers call attention, among other crimes, to the cynical
violation of the neutrality of Belgium and Luxembourg, the barbarous
and merciless hostage system, the mass deportations of populations,
[Page 888] the carrying away of
the young women of Lille, torn from their families and thrown
defenceless into the most promiscuous environment, the systematic
devastation without military justification of entire territories,
the unrestricted submarine warfare including the inhuman abandon of
victims on the high seas, the innumerable acts committed by the
German authorities against non-combatants in contempt of the laws of
war, etc. The responsibility for all these acts, at least the moral
responsibility, lies with the supreme chief who commanded and who
took advantage of his power to break, or to permit to be broken, the
most sacred rules of the human conscience.
The Powers cannot conceive that the Dutch Government could consider
the tremendous responsibility of the ex-Emperor with less
disapproval than they themselves.
Holland would not be fulfilling her international obligations if she
refused to join the other nations within the means at her disposal
in carrying out or at the very least in not hindering the punishment
of the crimes committed.
In addressing this request to the Government of the Netherlands, the
Powers deem it their duty to dwell especially on the particular
character of this request. It is the duty of the Powers to insure
the execution of Article 227 without being held back by
argumentation, because the case under discussion does not fall
within the lines of a public accusation of a fundamentally legal
nature, but is an act of high international policy, imposed by the
conscience of the universe, for which the procedure was provided in
order to give the accused such guarantees as have never been known
before in international law.
The Powers are convinced that Holland, a country that has always
asserted its respect of Law and its Love of Justice, and which,
among the first, asked for a place in the League of Nations, will
not attempt to help cover with her moral authority, violations of
the essential principles of the solidarity of nations, all equally
interested in preventing the return of a similar catastrophe.
The people of the Netherlands have the highest interest in not
appearing to protect or to shelter the principal author of these
crimes on their territory, and in facilitating the trial which the
voices of millions of victims demand.
