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

Paris Peace Conf. 184/145

Memorandum on the Organization of the American Commission to Negotiate Peace

Paris, 27 March, 1919.

The Commission comprises the following departments. There are also certain associated bodies which perform, in some degree, services for the Commission but also are engaged in work wholly unconnected with any of the functions of the Commission. The following is a brief, suggestive description of the scope of these departments and associated bodies, with the numbers of personnel. The staff of the President is not included:

Commissioner Plenipotentiary	Hon. Robert Lansing	Also a member of the Committee on Responsibilities of the Authors of the War and for the violations of the Laws, as well as other subsidiary committees.
		Civilian	4
		Army, commissioned	1
		Army, enlisted	8
		Total	13
Commissioner Plenipotentiary	Hon. Henry White	Member of the Commission on International Regime of Ports, Waterways and Railways; of Committee on Credentials, and various subsidiary committees.
		Civilian	2
		Army Field Clerks	3
		Army, commissioned	2
		Army, enlisted	5
		Total	12
Commissioner Plenipotentiary	Hon. Edward House	Also member of the Commission on the League of Nations, and various subsidiary commissions.
		Civilian	8
		Army, commissioned	2
		Army, enlisted	1
		Navy, Commissioned	3
		Navy, enlisted	18
		Total	32
Commissioner Plenipotentiary	Gen. Tasker H. Bliss	Also member of the Supreme War Council.
		Army Field Clerk	3
		Army, Commissioned	5
		Army, enlisted	6
		Total	14
Secretary-General	Hon. Joseph C. Grew	General Supervision of the organization of the Commission.
		Civilian	4
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, enlisted	4
		Navy, Commissioned	1
		Navy, enlisted	1
		Total	11
Diplomatic Secretary	Mr. Leland Harrison	Also Counselor of Embassy and in charge of all Peace Conference reports and communiques.
		Civilian	2
		Army, Enlisted	7
		Total	9
Executive Secretary	Mr. Philip H. Patchin	Also Counselor of Embassy, and in charge of administration of the offices of the Commission.
		Civilian	2
		Army, enlisted	1
		Total	3
Disbursing Officer	Mr. Wm. McNeir	Bureau of Accounts, Department of State. In charge of all Commission accounts and expenditures.
		Civilian	2
		Army, Field Clerk	1
		Army, Enlisted	1
		Total	4
General Military Liaison	Major Birch Helms	Civilian	1
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	4
		Total	6
Military Information	Capt. J. C. Hildt	Collates and furnishes information regarding the military situation to the Commission.
		Army, Field Clerk	1
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	6
		Total	8
Ceremonials	Capt. Henry J. Whitehouse	Has charge of all diplomatic courtesies, official dinners, receptions and other social functions. Receives visitors at the Hotel de Crillon. Advises the Commission and its members on all matters connected with the relations of the Allied Commissions and other bodies.
		Civilian	1
		Army Field Clerk	1
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Total	4
Press	Mr. Ray Stannard Baker	Furnishes official reports and communications to American and Allied Press Representatives.
		Civilian	3
		Army, Enlisted	3
		Total	6
Current Diplomatic and Political Correspondence	Mr. Ellis L. Dresel	Has charge of the handling and drafting of diplomatic and political correspondence and reports of the Commission.
		Civilian	8
		Army Field Clerks	2
		Army, commissioned	4
		Army, enlisted	1
		Navy, commissioned	1
		Total	16
Communications	Lt. N. E. Wharton	All cipher and code messages to and from the Commission are handled by this office. It is open 24 hours a day and is kept fully staffed in order to meet maximum demands. About one-third of the business is for Mr. Hoover’s Food Relief organization and not strictly Peace Commission matters. However, it is desirable that these messages should be handled by this Department.
		Navy, commissioned	25
		Navy, enlisted	46
		Total	71
Distribution	Mr. C. B. Welsh	Handles all incoming telegrams, decoding and distributing them. Is in active operation 24 hours a day. About one-third of this office is for Mr. Hoover’s Food Relief organization.
		Civilian	7
		Army, enlisted	4
		Total	11
Stenographic	Sgt. Fred A. Carlson	Copies and mimeographs all documents or papers of a confidential nature. Makes verbatim reports of all plenary sessions of the Peace Conference. Furnishes stenographers for emergencies.
		Army, Field Clerk	1
		Army, enlisted	8
		Navy, enlisted	4
		Total	13
Indexes & Files	Lt. Arthur A. Chenay	Opens and routes all Commission mail. Distributes all mail and messages between all offices in the Hotel de Crillon and 4 Place de la Concorde. Indexes and keeps record of all correspondence and other important papers of the Commission. About one-third of the work of this office is for Mr. Hoover’s Food Relief organization.
		Civilian	2
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Army, Enlisted	35
		Total	39
Translators	Capt. Kenneth McIntosh	Nearly all of the translating for the Commission is performed by this office.
		Civilian	1
		Army, Commissioned	8
		Total	9
Administrative Office	Maj. Richard C. Patterson, Jr.	The actual management and supervision of the internal affairs of the Commission. A printing plant is operated in connection with this office, performing the printing work for the Commission.
		Civilian	1
		Army, Commissioned	3
		Army, Enlisted	22
		Total	26
Business Manager	Maj. Geo. P. DuBose	Has general supervision of the administration of the hotel and office buildings, assigning rooms, making out bills, etc.
		Commissioned, Army	3
		Army, Enlisted	1
		Total	4
Hotel Manager	Lt. Wm. L. Black	Has charge of the management of the Hotel.
		Army Field Clerk	1
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Army, Enlisted	64
		Total	67
Audit & Purchase	Lt. Alfred Gini	The keeping of all accounts of the Hotel de Crillon. The making of purchases for the Hotel de Crillon and 4 Place de la Concorde.
		Army, Field Clerk	2
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	5
		Total	8
Construction & Repair	Mr. W. R. Brashear	In charge of 4 Place de la Concorde. The taking care of all furniture repairs, plumbing, gas lines, electrical equipment (except telephones) typewriter and mimeograph repairs, painting, carpentering, etc., of this building and a part of 3 Rue Royale also occupied by the Commission, comprising 109 rooms, not including halls and passageways.
		Civilian	2
		Army, enlisted	20
		Total	22
Personnel	Capt. Whitney Newton, Jr.	All the records of the personnel, attached to or connected with the Commission are kept by this office, which is the clearing house for all information regarding such personnel. All requests for assignment or detachment of army personnel, commissioned or enlisted, are handled by this office; also travel orders, mileage and pay vouchers, bread tickets, luxury tax exemptions and permits for passes to the commission buildings. Regular lists of personnel of the commission and the associated bodies are issued, as well as the required daily military reports. The supervision of commission transportation is also exercised.
		Army, commissioned	3
		Army, enlisted	6
		Total	9
Photography	Lt. D. W. Scovell	All the photostating and blue printing and reproduction of maps and drawings for the commission. The mimeographing of all papers, except those of a confidential nature. The taking of photographs for passports and passes to the Commission buildings.
		Army, Field Clerk	1
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	18
		Total	20
Medical	Commander Allen McLean	The performance of medical services, the hours of this office being from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M., daily.
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Navy, Commissioned	1
		Navy, Enlisted	3
		Total	6
Supply	Lt. Emmett Kilpatrick	Furnishes practically all supplies for the commission and other occupants of the Commission buildings, and stationery, coal, wood, ammunition, cots, blankets, etc., for foreign parties; mimeograph and photostat materials. Has charge of 2 three-ton trucks for commission work.
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	7
		Total	8
International Law	Mr. David H. Miller	Mr. Miller is one of the technical advisors of International Law and is also a member of the Commission of the League of Nations. Mr. James Brown Scott is the other technical advisor on International Law and is also a member of the Commission on the Responsibilities of the Authors of the War and for the Violations of the Laws.
		Civilian	13
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	10
		Total	24
Naval	Admiral W. S. Benson	Technical Advisor on Naval Affairs, and Chief of Operations, U. S. Navy.
		Navy, Commissioned	7
		Navy, Enlisted	18
		Total	25
Military	Maj. Gen. F. J. Kernan	Technical Advisor on Military Affairs. Head of American Mission to Poland.
		Army, Commissioned	4
		Army, Enlisted	1
		Total	5
Financial	Maj. John Foster Dulles	Technical Advisor on questions of finance.
		Civilian	2
Army Codes	Lt. J. R. Childs	All army code work in connection with the Commission.
		Army, Field Clerks	1
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	1
		Total	3
Reparation Commission	Mr. Jerome D. Greene	Matters connected with war damages, their amount, responsibility therefor and methods of payment.
		Civilian	3
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Army, Enlisted	2
		Total	7
Negative Intelligence	Col. Ralph H. Van Deman	In charge of protection of the buildings of the Commission.
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	3
		Total	4
Courier Service	Lt. Joseph P. Sims	All messages to and from Paris and various parts in Europe and the United States; also the distribution of messages in Paris. About 75% of the work is for the Peace Commission, the remainder being for the Food Relief Administration and other organizations in Paris.
		Army, Field Clerk	1
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Army, enlisted	37
		Total	40

TERRITORIAL INTELLIGENCE

Administrative	Dr. S. E. Mezes	This Department is subdivided into various sections, each having its own head who is responsible for the gathering and collating of information relating to his particular subject and the furnishing of it to the Commission. The nature of the work which these subdivisions do is sufficiently indicated by their titles.
		Civilian	6
		Army Field Clerks	2
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Army, Enlisted	5
		Navy, Enlisted	3
		Total	18
Austria-Hungary	Mr. Charles Seymour	Civilian	1
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Total	3
Balkans	Mr. Clive Day	Civilian	3
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Total	5
Colonial	Mr. George L. Beer	Civilian	1
		Army, Enlisted	1
		Total	2
Current Intelligence Summaries	Mr. William Bullitt	Civilian	2
		Army Field Clerks	2
		Army, Commissioned	3
		Army, Enlisted	5
		Navy, Enlisted	1
		Total	13
Economics & Statistics	Mr. Allyn A. Young	Civilian	5
		Army Field Clerks	2
		Army, Commissioned	3
		Army, Enlisted	2
		Navy, Enlisted	1
		Total	13
Ethnography	Mr. Roland B. Dixon	Civilian	1
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Total	2
Far East	Mr. E. T. Williams	Civilian	1
		Army, Field Clerk	1
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Total	3
Geography	Mr. Mark Jefferson	Civilian	5
		Army, Field Clerk	1
		Army, Enlisted	14
		Total	20
Germany	Mr. Wallace Notestein	Civilian	1
		Navy, Enlisted	1
		Total	2
History	Mr. James T. Shotwell	Civilian	3
		Army Field Clerk	1
		Total	4
Inner Asia	Mr. Roland B. Dixon	Civilian	1
Italy	Mr. W. E. Lunt	Civilian	1
Library	Mr. James T. Shotwell	Civilian	3
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Army, Enlisted	16
		Total	21
Russia & Poland	Mr. Robert H. Lord	Civilian	4
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Army, Enlisted	4
		Total	10
Western Asia	Mr. W. L. Westermann	Civilian	4
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	1
		Total	6
Western Europe	Mr. Chas. H. Haskins	Civilian	1
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	1
		Total	3

Associated Bodies

Courier Officers	Maj. A. J. Peaslee	This office sends officer couriers to various points in Europe and America, only about 70% of its work being strictly Peace Commission business.
		Army, Commissioned	81
Field Observers	Maj. Royall Tyler	All field parties are under the jurisdiction of this office. Reports are made upon military, economical and political conditions and the parties serve as a method of contact between the U. S. and the various nationalities in the different parts of Europe. While it is impossible to make a clear division of the duties of these parties and how much is for strictly Peace Commission purposes and how much for Food Relief, diplomatic, financial or other purposes, it is probable that not more than 50% of their activities should be charged against the Commission.
		Civilian	8
		Army, Commissioned	32
		Army, Enlisted	12
		Navy, Commissioned	9
		Navy, Enlisted	15
		Total	76
Financial Commissioner	Mr. Norman H. Davis	Representative of the U. S. Treasury Department. Technical advisor on Finance. Member of Commission on Reparation and Damages.
		Civilian	12
		Army, Commissioned	1
		Army, Enlisted	4
			17
Headquarters Battalion	The enlisted men performing services for the Peace Commission or one of its associated bodies all belong to this regulation military organization, are carried on its rolls, paid, fed, lodged and in every way cared for by it. It is responsible to their civilian chiefs for the proper performance of their various duties as orderlies, stenographers, clerks, etc. All these enlisted men will be found in the Barracks Co., Lt. Meadows, at 71 Blvd. Pereire, or the 4 Place de la Concorde Co., Lt. Lawton, or the Hotel de Crillon Co., Lt. Stein, or the Mess Co., Capt. French, or with the Hotel Manager, Lt. Black, and those who have been assigned to various departments and bodies and are found in the list of their personnel. There is also the Peace Commission Guard Co. No. 2, belonging to the Hq. Battalion, but on detailed service under Col. E. M. Watson of the Military Section. It is charged with the duties of furnishing the proper military guards for the President and the buildings of the Commission.
The Barracks Co.	The number of men detailed to the taking care of the barracks, performing such duties as guard, orderlies, cleaning, kitchen, fires, carpentering, and other routine matters is larger than would be necessary if the men working directly in the various departments of the Commission were not unable to take their turn, owing to the long hours of work, it being not uncommon for many to share in the night labors of the Commission. Owing to the difficulty and delay in obtaining additional men from the Army and the impossibility of the work of the Commission being interfered with because of the lack of enlisted personnel, it has been found necessary to keep a reserve of thirty or forty men to meet emergency demands, such as sudden calls for field parties and to compensate for the usual sickness encountered in every large organization.
	Army, Commissioned		1
	Army, Enlisted		161
			162
Mess Company	The mess for the enlisted men is at 4 Place de la Concorde and supplies meals for from 650 to 670 men. The meal hours are long 6–8 for breakfast; 11:30 to 1:30 for lunch and 5–7 for supper, owing to the different periods of work which the men have. There is also the necessity of furnishing a midnight meal for some 40 enlisted men and civilians who work all night.
	Army, Commissioned		1
	Sergeants		4
	Cooks		9
	K. P.’s		32
			46
Hotel de Crillon Co.	An officer is in charge of the 37 men who act as day and night orderlies for the reception room, doormen, carriagemen, car dispatchers. He is also responsible for the proper performance of the duties of the various enlisted men in the building acting as orderlies, clerks, stenographers, etc.
4 Place de la Concorde Co.	These men take care of the 109 rooms in this building and 3 Rue Royale, used by the commission, as well as hallways, passageways and sidewalks. A First Lieutenant and 76 enlisted men perform the following duties: 28 day and night orderlies and local runners act as guides to visitors, carry documents and run errands between the offices of the commission and various points in Paris; 12 build and maintain fires in the offices; 8 act as fatigue detail, moving furniture, unloading coal, handling baggage and miscellaneous jobs, such as cleaning the offices of Mr. Baruch at 10 Rue Pasquat; 21 clean the offices; 7 take care of the elevator, act as clerk and orderly to the officer and as guards and supernumeraries. This officer is also responsible for the proper performance of the duties of the enlisted men assigned to the various departments.
Post Office	Lt. L. N. Cobbledick	All mail to and from the Commission Buildings are handled through this Office. All the usual activities of a post office are performed here.
		Civilian	1
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Army, Enlisted	13
			16
Secret Service	W. H. Moran	Representative of the U. S Secret Service, having an office in the Commission building.
		Civilian	1
Shipping Board	Mr. Edward Hurley	Representative of the U. S. with regard to all maritime transportation. Advisor to the Commission on such questions.
		Civilian	12
		Army, Commissioned	4
		Army, Enlisted	1
			17
Telephones	Capt. A. L. Hart	A detachment of the signal corps, maintaining and operating all telephones in the Commission buildings.
		Civilian	19
		Army, Commissioned	2
		Army, Enlisted	25
			46
Transportation	Capt. Robert Kloeber	In charge of the various automobiles and trucks assigned for commission work. Part of the transport corps on duty in Paris.
		Civilian	6
		Army, Commissioned	4
		Army, Enlisted	96
			106
War Industries Board	Mr. Bernard M. Baruch	Chairman of the War Industries Board and Technical Advisor on Economic questions; member of the Commission on Reparation and Damages.
		Civilian	16
		Army, Commissioned	4
		Army, Enlisted	4
			24
War Trade Board	Mr. Vance McCormick	Chairman of the War Trade Board. Technical Advisor on economic questions; member of the Commission on Reparation and Damages.
		Civilian	5
		Army, Enlisted	3
		Navy, Enlisted	2
			10

Memorandum by the Secretary of State³⁴

[Paris, March 30, 1919.]

I am sure now that there will be no preliminary treaty of peace, but that the treaty will be complete and definitive. This is a serious mistake. Time should be given for passions to cool. The operations of a preliminary treaty should be tested and studied. It would hasten a restoration of peace. Certainly this is the wise course as to territorial settlements and the financial and economic burdens to be imposed upon Germany. The same comment applies to the organization of a League of Nations. Unfortunately the President insists on a full-blown Covenant and not a declaration of principles. This has much to do with preventing a preliminary treaty, since he wishes to make the League an agent for enforcement of definite terms.

When the President departed for the United States in February, I assumed and I am certain that he had in mind that there would be a preliminary treaty. With that in view I drafted at the time a memorandum setting forth what the preliminary treaty of peace should contain. Here are the subjects I then set down:

1. Restoration of Peace and official relations.

2. Restoration of commercial and financial relations subject to conditions.

3. Renunciation by Germany of all territory and territorial rights outside of Europe.

4. Minimum territory of Germany in Europe, the boundaries to be fixed in the Definitive Treaty.

5. Maximum military and naval establishments and production of arms and munitions.

6. Maximum amount of money and property to be surrendered by Germany with time limits for payment and delivery.

7. German property and territory to be held as security by the Allies until the Definitive Treaty is ratified.

8. Declaration as to the organization of a League of Nations.

The President’s obsession as to a League of Nations blinds him to everything else. An immediate peace is nothing to him compared to the adoption of the Covenant. The whole world wants peace. The President wants his League. I think that the world will have to wait.

Memorandum by the Secretary of State³⁵

After the experience of the last three months [January–March, 1919] I am convinced that the method of personal interviews and private conclaves is a failure. It has given every opportunity for intrigue, plotting, bargaining, and combining. The President, as I now see it, should have insisted on everything being brought before the Plenary Conference. He would then have had the confidence and support of all the smaller nations because they would have looked up to him as their champion and guide. They would have followed him.

The result of the present method has been to destroy their faith and arouse their resentment. They look upon the President as in favor of a world ruled by Five Great Powers, an international despotism of the strong, in which the little nations are merely rubber-stamps.

The President has undoubtedly found himself in a most difficult position. He has put himself on a level with politicians experienced in intrigue, whom he will find a pretty difficult lot. He will sink in the estimation of the delegates who are not within the inner circle, and what will be still more disastrous will be the loss of confidence among the peoples of the nations represented here. A grievous blunder has been made.

Memorandum by the Secretary of State³⁶

Everywhere there are developing bitterness and resentment against a secretiveness which is interpreted to mean failure. The patience of the people is worn threadbare. Their temper has grown ragged. They are sick of whispering diplomats.

Muttered confidences, secret intrigues, and the tactics of the “gumshoer” are discredited. The world wants none of them these days. It despises and loathes them. What the world asks are honest declarations openly proclaimed. The statesman who seeks to gain his end by tortuous and underground ways is foolish or badly advised. The public man who is sly and secretive rather than frank and bold, whose methods are devious rather than obvious, pursues a dangerous path which leads neither to glory nor to success.

Secret diplomacy, the bane of the past, is a menace from which man believed himself to be rid. He who resurrects it invites condemnation. The whole world will rejoice when the day of the whisperer is over.

34. Reprinted from Lansing, The Peace Negotiations, pp. 208–209.
35. Reprinted from Lansing, The Peace Negotiations, p. 219. Mr. Lansing does not give the date of this document.
36. Reprinted from Lansing, The Peace Negotiations, p. 221. Mr. Lansing prefaces his quotation of this document with the following remarks: “Two days after I wrote the note [presumably the document supra], which is quoted (April 2, 1919), I made another note more general in character which follows: …”