Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, The Paris Peace Conference, 1919, Volume X

Paris Peace Conf. 180.0501/17

Supreme Economic Council: Seventeenth Meeting Held at the Ministry of Commerce [on 12th May, 1919, at 10 a.m.]

May 12, 1919, 10 a.m.

The Supreme Economic Council held its Seventeenth Meeting on Monday, 12th May, 1919, at 10 a.m. under the Chairmanship of Lord Robert Cecil.

The Associated Governments were represented as follows:—

United Kingdom.	Sir Wm. Mitchell Thomson.
	Sir. Wm. Goode.
	Mr. Layton.
United States.	Mr. McCormick.
	Mr. Hoover.
	Mr. Norman Davis.
France.	M. Clémentel.
	M. Claveille.
	M. Seydoux.
Italy.	Signor Crespi.
	Prof. Attolico.
	Com. Ferraris.
Belgium.	M. Jaspar.
	M. de Cartier de Marchienne.

147.

The Minutes of the Sixteenth Meeting were approved.

148. Conditions in Hungary.

(a) With reference to Minute 131 (i) it was noted that the Council of Foreign Ministers at their Meeting on 9th May had decided:¹

“to authorise the Supreme Economic Council to take all preparatory measures to remove the blockade restrictions on Hungary, without further reference to the Supreme Council as soon as the General Staff informs them that order has been re-established in the country”.

It was agreed that the Blockade Section should keep in touch with the Supreme War Council at Versailles with a view to ascertaining when the necessary instructions for the removal of the blockade on Hungary could be given.

(b) With reference to Minute 131 (ii) it was noted that the question of facilitating the export of foodstuffs from the Banat to Austria and Hungary was receiving the attention of the Council of Heads of States and that there was no further action to be taken by the Supreme Economic Council for the time being.

149. Prohibition and Pre-emption Lists.

(a) The resolution (127)² suggesting that the Allied and Associated Governments should waive their right of pre-emption, except as regards dyestuffs and coal, under the terms of the telegram of March 24th was again submitted but, owing to the absence of M. Loucheur, it was decided that the matter should be considered at a Special Meeting of the Council to be held on Tuesday, 13th May at 12 noon.

(b) The French Delegates reported that 50 tons of dyestuffs were urgently required for French factories engaged in preparing Military cloth and requested that authority might be given for the supply of this quantity from Germany.

It was agreed that the matter should be considered at the next meeting of the Council, if necessary.

150. Relations With Germany.

(i) With reference to Minute 133 the following decisions reached by the Council of Heads of States were reported:³

(a) “that semi-public communications should be at once entered into with the border neutrals with a view to securing from them such undertakings as would, if necessary, enable the Blockade to be re-imposed even more effectively than before;

(b) That a public statement should at once be issued making clear what modifications in the Blockade have already been made and concluding with a statement that all the rest of the Blockade against Germany would be removed the moment Peace was signed;”

it being understood that the removal of the Blockade would not apply to Bolshevist Russia.

The American Delegates stated that they had not understood that a decision had definitely been reached as outlined in Clause (a) above, and pointed out that in their view such action might have a very detrimental effect upon German finance as a whole.

It was agreed:—

(a) that the scheme (133) for the instant application, in case of need, of the fullest possible pressure of Blockade upon Germany prepared by the Blockade Section in accordance with Minute 136 of Proceedings of the Council should be submitted immediately to the Council of Heads of States;

(b) that the announcement to be issued setting forth what modifications on the Blockade had already been made should be prepared and published as soon as possible.

(ii) The American Delegates referred to the meeting to be held immediately with the German Financial Authorities with a view to arranging additional means of payment for foodstuffs and enquired what assurances could be given to the German Delegates with respect to delivery of foodstuffs or return of money and securities in the event of the blockade being reimposed.

It was agreed that the representatives of the Associated Governments should be authorised to undertake that, in the event of it becoming necessary to restore the blockade, the Associated Governments would either deliver food, to the full amount of the money and securities put up by Germany, or would return to Germany that portion of the money and securities representing the amount of food not delivered.

In this connection the Director General of Relief pointed out the serious predicament in which the American Relief Administration would find itself in the event that the blockade on Germany were re-imposed; that the Germans have not put up money and securities sufficient to cover the commitments of food because they could not be assured that they would be allowed to receive the food; that the shipment of food now beyond possibility of diversion was far in excess of the funds deposited by the Germans.

The British Delegates remarked upon the gravity of the situation and expressed the opinion that proper steps should be taken to the end that all losses should be borne by the various governments as an expense incident to the conduct of the war.

It was agreed:—

(a) that all shipments by the Relief Administration landed at, or en route for, European ports and intended for the revictualling of Germany which may be kept from going into Germany by the re-establishment of the blockade, shall be taken off the hands of the American Relief Administration by purchase by the Allied Governments.

(b) that the delegates on the Food and Finance Sections should prepare immediately a scheme for dealing with the above food supplies in the event of Germany refusing to sign the preliminaries of peace.

151. Trade With Occupied German Territories.

With reference to Minute 134 it was reported that owing to nondelivery of the requisite information regarding the reported export of commodities from the occupied to the unoccupied territories the French Delegates had been unable to investigate the matter in detail but they undertook to present a report at the next meeting of the Council.

152. Import of Raw Materials Into Germany.

A Resolution from the Raw Materials Section (134) suggesting that Germany should be permitted to import specified quantities of certain articles urgently required for the coal mining and other essential industries, and which can be supplied from German stocks in neutral countries bought and paid for prior to 7th May Was submitted and approved.

It was agreed:—

(a) that the Blockade Section should be instructed to set up immediately the necessary machinery to control the importation of these commodities into Germany:

(b) that the present regulations (see Minute 79.d.) governing German communications as to German imports of foodstuffs should be amended by the addition of the words:

“and such raw materials as may from time to time be approved by the Associated Governments.”

153. Situation in the Baltic States.

With reference to Minute 132 it was reported that the Council of Foreign Ministers had decided:⁴

“that a Committee consisting of an American, British, French and Italian economic, naval and military representative should be appointed to report on the best means of keeping and maintaining order in the Baltic States and of revictualling the population and that the Committee had been instructed to report to the Council of Foreign Ministers as promptly as possible.” (135)

154. Enemy Tonnage.

(i) With reference to Minute 104 a statement from the Allied Maritime Transport Executive (136) regarding the use of enemy tonnage and the possibility of utilising Belgian crews was submitted.

The American Delegates pointed out that, in the event of enemy tonnage eventually becoming available for the relief of liberated territories, some portion of it would presumably be allocated for revictualling Belgium and, if that were so, they submitted that the Belgian Government should be in a position to use Belgian crews for such Trans-Atlantic boats if they so desired it.

The Belgian Delegates stated that their Government required boats of over 2,500 tons and requested that some vessels of at least 3,500 tons should be placed under Belgian management.

It was agreed:—

(a) that the Belgian Government should be requested to provide the Transport Executive at the earliest possible date with full details regarding the number of Belgian officers, engineers and seamen now seeking employment;

(b) that the Transport Executive should endeavour to use these crews for manning the ships at present unallocated;

(c) that if after the completion of these arrangements the Belgian Government are dissatisfied with the division made, the matter shall, at their request, be reconsidered by the Council;

(ii) A note (137) from the Shipping Executive with reference to the use of enemy ships under French management was considered (see Minute 141 of S. E. C).

The French Delegates stated that all the boats, except two, originally intended by the French Marine for the transport of coal to the Black Sea had been re-directed to the service for which they had been set aside by the Transport Executive and they requested that the two remaining ones which were now actually on passage should be allowed to proceed. They pointed out, further, that in the allocation of this tonnage due attention must be paid to the military necessities of the Allies and that immediate assistance regarding the repatriation of German prisoners at Salonika was essential.

It was agreed:—

(a) that it is imperative that the original allocations of enemy tonnage made by the Allied Maritime Transport Executive should be maintained and that if enemy tonnage is required for special services the matter should be submitted to the Transport Executive;

(b) that, subject to the already settled priorities, the Transport Executive should have regard to the military necessities of the Allies as determined by the Military representatives at Versailles. In case of difference of opinion the matter should be settled by the Supreme Economic Council and finally by the Council of Heads of States, it being understood that pending a decision the allocation of the Transport Executive should be carried out;

(c) that the Transport Executive should be requested to consider whether an exception could be made to allow the two boats now on passage to Salonika to proceed to their destination as desired by the French Government.

155. Work of the Shipping Section.

A memorandum (138) prepared by the British Delegates suggesting certain modifications in the organisation of the Shipping Section was submitted and referred to the Shipping Committee for consideration.

156. Control of Traffic on the Danube.

With reference to Minute 143 the President reported that the Council of Heads of States had agreed to the proposal that a telegram should be sent to General Franchet d’Esperey regarding the control and expedition of commercial relief traffic on the Danube, and he requested that the telegram might be despatched without further delay.⁵

157. Health Conditions in Southern & Eastern Europe.

Reference was made to a letter from the International Committee of the Red Cross dated 31st March (139) regarding the appointment of a sanitary commission to combat the outbreak of disease in South-Eastern Europe and it was agreed to request the League of Red Cross Societies to investigate the conditions in this area and prepare if necessary a report for the Council indicating what assistance from the Allied & Associated Governments is desirable as regards medical advice, medical or sanitary supplies and finance.

It was the view of the Council, however, that outbreaks of disease in any of these districts should be cared for so far as possible by the local authorities.

Appendix 133⁶

Scheme Prepared by the Blockade Section on Blockade Upon Germany

In accordance with the instructions given by the Supreme Economic Council at its meeting on the 5th May, the Superior Blockade Council and the Military and Naval Experts consulting with the Council submit to the Council of Four the following papers:—

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 by 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 northern 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.

(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)—Tchecho-Slovak Frontier of Germany. Polish Frontier of Germany.

Requests to the Governments of Tchecho-Slovakia and Poland effectively to prevent any trade with Germany.

The Sub-Committee appreciate the supreme importance of Danzig and the Danzig Polish Railway for the revictualling of Poland, but they were advised by the representatives of the General Staffs that the occupation of Danzig 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 Relations with Germany.

(a) The reimposition 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 Agreements 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.

Appendix 134

Resolution From the Raw Materials Section Regarding German Requirements for the Goal Mining and Other Essential Industries

The following resolution was passed:—

Resolved—

“That the Supreme Economic Council be requested to authorise the Raw Materials Section to make a communication to the German Economic Delegates at Versailles, through the proper channel, in the following sense:—

“The Allied and Associated Governments are prepared in principle to permit the import into Germany forthwith of specified quantities of the articles enumerated in the annexed schedule, in so far as these articles are required for the immediate needs of the coal mining industry or for other industrial needs of special urgency, and in so far also as these articles can be supplied from stocks in neutral countries which had been bought and paid for by the German Government or German firms prior to the 7th May, 1919.

“With this object the Allied and Associated Governments request the German Government to notify the Allied Armistice Commission of the stocks of these commodities which they desire to import and which are lying in neutral countries owned by the German Government or German firms, having been bought and paid for before the 7th May, 1919.

“The Allied Governments undertake that if and when these stocks have been declared to them they will be prepared to authorise forthwith the importation of these stocks into Germany in the quantities specified in the Annex hereto. The Allied and Associated Governments also undertake not to seize or requisition the stocks so declared for importation.

“This arrangement will only be valid during the Armistice.”

Note

The commodities referred to in the annexed schedule are those given in the list of German requirements already received from Dr. Schacht, German Commissioner for Raw Materials.

It is proposed to revise the schedule on receipt of a more exact statement of the requirements for two months, which the German Delegates now at Versailles have undertaken to furnish.

The figures given are substantially those prepared in March by the Statistical Committee and approved by the Raw Materials Section.

They were compiled on the basis of half the monthly pre-war imports of the whole of Germany.

Schedule

Rations For Two Months

Item	Tons		Remarks
Cotton—
Raw American	53,694		Less 500 tons already allowed.
Linters	3,246
Waste	1,550
Yarn	2,547
Wool—
Merino,greasy	12,769	}	Less 250 tons tops already allowed.
“ washed after dip	277
Crossbred greasy	8,569
“ backwash	139
“ washed after dip	1,010
Jute and tow	19,279
Flax	2,954
“ tow	1,255
Hemp	3,395
“ tow	1,205
Other fibres	1,016
Kapok	278
Ramie, manila, sisal	1,983
Asbestos	1,650
Graphite	2,660
Kaolin	21,604
Mineral lubricating oil	27,601
Heavy benzine, cleaning oil	6,780
Patent turpentine oil
Native paraffin (Ozokerit)
Petroleum,refined illuminating oil	62,095		Less 3,000 already allowed.
Gas oil	4,000
Crude benzine	13,281
Machine oil	27,601		Less 1,500 tons already allowed.
Borax	1,366
Sulphur	3,605
Pyrites	83,126
Rags	2,500
Cork	1,605
Beeswax	155
Rubber manufactured as required (no crude rubber).
Gum arabic	375
Resinous and vegetable oils		}	Deferred for further enquiry.
Quebracho extract
“ wood	9,357
Valonia	3,333
Hides and skins	30,930
Bones	1,417
Glue (leather)	915
Tallow, train oil, &c.	6,211
Cottenseed oil	1,357
Copra	16,328
Palm kernels	19,660
Peanuts	8,174
Flax seed (linseed)	46,350
Cottonseed	18,249
Sesame	9,670
Japanese soya	10,479
Rapeseed	12,370
Tobacco	6,747
Chrome ore	4,000		Estimated.
Iron ore	950,930
Manganese ore	55,923
Lead	3,534
Copper	27,273
Nickel	136
Tin	978		Already fully drawn.
Zinc			Deferred for further enquiry.

Appendix 135

Decisions Arrived at by the Council of Foreign Ministers at Their Meeting of May 9 [With Reference to] Policy in the Baltic

It was agreed that a Committee, consisting of an American, British, French, and Italian economic, naval and military representative, should be appointed to report on the best means of keeping and maintaining order in the Baltic States, and of revictualling the population.

The following were appointed to form part of the Committee, with instructions to report as promptly as possible:—

• America, United States of—
  • Mr. Hoover.
  • Admiral Benson.
  • Colonel Logan.
• British Empire—
  • Sir E. Howard.
  • Sir Wm. Goode.
  • Admiral Hope.
  • General Thwaites.
• France—
  • M. Seydoux.
  • Admiral De Bon.
  • Colonel Georges.
• Italy—
  • Admiral Grassi.

It was further agreed that the Foreign Ministers of Great Britain and France should consider the question of making a small money advance, estimated at a total of 200,000 fr., to the Esthonian Government.

Appendix 136

Statement From Allied Maritime Transport Executive

1. The Executive state that they are preparing a statement (which should be ready within a few days) of the arrangements made with regard to enemy tonnage, including its employment from the 22nd March, when the first German vessel left Germany, until the 1st May, and they propose to issue periodical monthly statements henceforward.

2. In the five weeks following the Brussels Agreement, 900,000 tons gross of German shipping was in fact acquired from Germany, and of this 550,000 was actually in operation on the 1st May. In addition, practically all the ships suitable for transatlantic work are in operation.

3. The executive report that in no case have operations been at any time delayed by insufficiency of crews, either British, French, or Italian.

4. The executive report, with regard to the suggestion to employ Belgian crews, that (a) all arrangements have already been made for the running of vessels over 2,500 tons, and they consider it very undesirable to cancel these arrangements; (b) they have no information at present as to the number of Belgian officers, engineers, and seamen now seeking employment; and (c) as stated above the crews have so far been easily forthcoming from among the unemployed members of the mercantile marines of Italy, Great Britain, and France.

In view of these considerations, they suggest that a certain number of the small vessels under 2,500 tons still to be delivered might be turned over to Belgian management, the steamers being taken equally from the British and French allocations.

It will, of course, be borne in mind that the Armistice period may be nearly at an end, and the decision as to the number of vessels to be turned over to Belgian ownership may soon be known.

Appendix 137

[Note From the Shipping Executive With Reference to the] Use of Enemy Tonnage

At a meeting of the Shipping Executive on Wednesday the question referred by the Council of the disregard by the French authorities of the allocation of a number of Austrian vessels made by the Transport Executive in London was considered, and M. de Lubersac reported that steps had been taken to ensure that the decision of the Executive was complied with.

A telegram has now been received from London stating that at the meeting of the Transport Executive on Thursday the French representatives submitted a letter to the effect that the allocations of Austrian cargo boats which the French had previously intended to use for Black Sea coal had been put right. He reported verbally, however, that the French Ministry of Marine were not accepting the decision, but were actually taking steps for the boats, or some of them, to proceed to Constantinople, in contravention of the Executive’s decision.

The Transport Executive decided to report urgently to the Supreme Economic Council that it is imperative that the French Government should secure that the French Marine complies with the decision, as these boats are urgently required for relief purposes, and the Executive attach the utmost importance to the maintenance of original allocations.

May 9, 1919.

Appendix 138

Memorandum by Mr. T. Lodge (British Shipping Controller’s Representative in Absence of Sir T. Royden) [Regarding the] Work and Organisation of the Shipping Section

I attach a brief note on the work of the Transport Executive and Shipping Committee.

When the Shipping Committee and Transport Executive were created by the Council it was recognised that actual executive work in relation to shipping could only be effectively carried out in London, and the experience of the last month has amply confirmed this view. At that time, however, it was felt that it was possible that questions of general principle might come before the Economic Council, on which it would be desirable to have the views of an Allied body available on the spot. There seemed some likelihood that the European political situation might involve a certain number of military expeditions of general Allied interest similar to the contemplated movement of Polish troops to Danzig. This has not proved to be the case, and neither the Shipping Committee nor the Supreme Economic Council has had to deal during the last month with any shipping questions of first importance, except the Italian coal question and the problem of supplementing the deficiency in the relief programme.

In so far as these questions involve shipping, they were dependent upon the allocation of British shipping, and consequently had to be dealt with mainly in London.

I suggest, therefore, that it is no longer necessary for the Shipping Committee in Paris to remain in existence, and that all its functions should be transferred to the London Executive.

May 7, 1919.

[Enclosure]

Work of Shipping Section

The Supreme Economic Council, having absorbed the functions of the Allied Maritime Transport Council, created an Allied Maritime Transport Executive to sit in London and to carry out the execution of decisions of policy arrived at by the Council. At the same time the Shipping Committee was created in Paris in order to advise the Economic Council on any questions of principle referred to it.

The London Executive has now been sitting for a month, and during that time has been mainly concerned with the numerous questions arising out of the acquisition of Austro-Hungarian ships, and the handing over of German ships under the Trèves Agreement of the 17th January and the subsequent arrangements at Spa⁸ and Brussels.

The Executive has examined carefully the whole employment of all the big Austro-Hungarian tonnage, and has arranged for its employment either on common Allied military work or on the repatriation of troops, or, in the case of cargo tonnage, in meeting the demands for the supply of food to the liberated territories in Europe.

During this time practically the whole of the big German tonnage which was in German ports and fit for navigation has been handed over to the Associated Governments. The passenger ships are being employed on the repatriation of American and British Dominion troops, while the cargo ships are being allocated in the first instance to meeting the obligations undertaken by the Associated Governments with regard to the supply of food to Germany.

The Transport Executive have made arrangements with the Freight Committee of the Food Section of the Supreme Economic Council which would enable an effective programme of the German tonnage being made.

The Shipping Committee, in addition to dealing with a number of questions of minor importance, considered the following questions of policy:—

Representations had been made to the Economic Council that it was desirable to abolish all black lists, including the Ships Black List. The Ships Black List differs from the other black lists in that it had operated, not only to prevent neutral shipowners from assisting the enemy, but also to bring a substantial block of neutral tonnage into direct Allied service. There was also danger, in the event of this list being definitely abolished, that a large number of neutral vessels would immediately leave Allied employment. The Committee on this ground came to the conclusion that, on balance, the advantage of continuing the black list outweighed the disadvantage.

The Committee also had before them applications from the Greek and Belgian Governments that they should share in the management of German tonnage handed over under the Trèves Agreement. In view of the fact that such tonnage had to be used for relief purposes only, the Committee came to the conclusion that the complications which the introduction of a fresh Government into the arrangement would involve rendered it undesirable that the existing system should be modified.

The Committee agreed that the arrangements with regard to enemy tonnage should not in any way prejudice the ultimate disposition of the vessels under the Peace Treaty, and that, in the discussion of the ultimate disposition, no argument should be founded on their allocation for management or service in the meantime. They further agreed that the Associated Governments should not recognise any transfer of shares in enemy shipping which would make it more difficult to apply this principle.

In accordance with the promise made to the Germans at Brussels, representatives of the Associated Governments had been stationed at Rotterdam to discuss various questions in detail, in particular the disposal of the cargoes on German ships lying in neutral ports.

May 7, 1919.

Appendix 139

Note for Mr. Hoover [From the Food Section Regarding] Measures To Be Taken To Check the Typhus Epidemic in South-Eastern Europe

As the result of a report of the International Red Cross Committee dated the 31st March, 1919, the Food Section has examined the measures which should be taken to check the epidemic of exanthematous typhus in the Ukraine, Poland, and Serbia.

There appear to be financial difficulties to overcome.

At present the specialists who cleared the Balkans of typhus in 1915 are in Paris.

It is simply a question for the interested Governments to put in train the necessary financial arrangements, and to call upon the specialists who know how the work should be carried out.

The epidemic will die out during the summer, but the necessary measures for killing it at its source should be taken now if a serious return of the epidemic in the autumn is to be avoided.

A. E. Taylor

May 9, 1919.

[Enclosure]

Geneva , March 31, 1919.

His Excellency the British Minister, Berne.

Sir: On the 1st March, 1919, the Sanitary Delegates from Poland, Ukrainia, Yugo-Slavia, and German Austria, in conjunction with the International Council for Hygiene and Prophylaxis located at Budapest and with the Austrian Department for Public Hygiene, met at the Red Cross headquarters to examine the question of the menacing invasion of exanthematic typhus which is reigning in Ukrainia, Poland, and Serbia, and to request the International Committee to intervene in the principal States of Europe with the view to the creation of an international sanitary commission armed with full authority and extensive means for combating the imminent danger.

This appeal was transmitted from the International Committee of the Red Cross by telegraph to the Central Committees of the Red Cross on the 4th March and again, in the same text, on the 20th March, with the request that it be brought to the attention of the various Governments.

On the other hand, the Hungarian Government invited the Delegates sent by the International Committee to Budapest to take part in the Conference, which met in that town on the 12th March, between the Delegates of the Austrian, Hungarian, Polish, Roumanian, Tchecho-Slovak, Ukrainian and Yugo-Slav Governments armed with extensive powers to take a hand in the struggle against infectious diseases, especially exanthematic typhus which is gravely menacing Eastern Europe.

This Conference decided on concerted action by the different interested States, and requested the International Committee of the Red Cross to send a Delegate to Budapest as president of a permanent bureau to be created to this end. This Delegate, one of the members of the International Committee, will leave in answer to this call as soon as the interested State comes to a decision regarding the definite meeting place of this Conference.

The information received by the International Committee is becoming more and more alarming; Ukrainia and Galicia are seriously contaminated and the contagion is spreading to the west; no sanitary barrier is in operation in those regions where filth, confinement in crowded living quarters, privations of all kinds, and malnutrition constitute an atmosphere only too favourable to the spreading of the epidemic.

It is most urgent that decisive steps be taken without delay before the situation assumes still graver proportions.

We think that your Government will decide, with us, that a combined intervention should be carried out as promptly as possible with extensive means, both in personnel and sanitary material, so as to give this undertaking the scope demanded by the very critical situation in Eastern Europe.

Very sincerely, &c.

Dr. Ferriere

Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross

P. S.—Attached are a few extracts taken from reports recently received from our Delegates in Eastern Europe.¹⁰

1. See FM–13, minute 6, vol. iv, p. 693.
2. Ante, p. 241.
3. See CF–3, minute 2, vol. v, p. 522.
4. See FM–13, minute 5, vol. iv, p. 687.
5. See CF–3, minute 5, vol. v, p. 524.
6. Appendixes 133 to 139 are filed separately under Paris Peace Conf. 180.0501/34.
8. See appendix 21, p. 49.
10. Not found with file copy of the minutes.