Paris Peace Conf. 180.035/4a: Telegram
The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Secretary of State
4126. Confidential for the Secretary of State from Polk.
Last week Balfour announced that as soon as the Austrian Treaty was signed and the Bulgarian Treaty delivered he would leave and as he saw no necessity for the Council continuing to sit no one would come to take his place. Clemenceau objected strenuously. I told Balfour and Philip Kerr, Lloyd George’s Secretary, that while I thought the Council was mixing up with a good many things that really belonged to the foreign offices, yet an adjournment at this time would be entirely misconstrued, as the Roumanian question is unsettled and the Silesian question and a number of other matters that could not be left up in the air. I pointed out the impression on Roumania and Hungary would be extremely bad. Balfour was firm as he is thoroughly tired out. He leaves Thursday but Philip Kerr has persuaded Lloyd George to come here the end of this week and [Page 643] he will sit through next week. If these matters are not cleared up then I think he will send Bonar Law or Curzon.
I feel, however, that it is a mistake to continue to sit in the Quai D’Orsay, as we are surrounded by a number of the permanent French Foreign Office officials and they are able to create an impression in the minds of the small powers frequently not in line with the views expressed by the delegates. If we continue to sit I will take this up. Will cable you again on this subject after I see Lloyd George on Friday. Polk.