462.00 R 29/702

Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Allied Powers, London, May 5, 192144

The Allied Powers, taking note of the fact that in spite of the successive concessions made by the Allies since the signature of the Treaty of Versailles and in spite of the warnings and sanctions agreed upon at Spa and at Paris, as well as of the sanctions announced in London and since applied, the German Government is still in default in fulfilment of obligations incumbent on that date [upon it] under the Treaty of Versailles as regards;

(1)
Disarmament
(2)
The payment due on May 21st [May 1st], 1921 under article 235 of Treaty, which the Reparation Commission has already called upon it to make at this date.
(3)
The trial of war criminals as further provided for by the Allied Notes of February 13th and May 7th, 1920, and
(4)
Certain other important respects notably those which arise under articles 264, [to] 267, 269, 273, 321, 322, 327 of the Treaty decide:
(a)
To proceed forthwith with such preliminary measures as may be required for the occupation of the Ruhr Valley by the Allied forces on the Rhine in the contingency provided for in paragraph D of this note.
(b)
In accordance with article 233 of the Treaty to invite the Reparations Commission to prescribe to the German Government without delay the time and basis for securing and discharging the entire obligation incumbent upon that Government and to announce their decision on this point to the German Government at latest on May 6th.
(c)
To call upon the German Government within a period of six days from the receipt of the above decision categorically to declare its resolve:
(1)
To carry out without reserve or condition their obligations as defined by the Reparations Commission.
(2)
To accept and provide without reserve or condition the guarantees in respect of those obligations demanded by the Reparation Commission.
(3)
To carry out without reserve or delay the measures of military naval and aerial disarmament notified to the German Government by the Allied Powers in their note of January 29th, 1921, those overdue being completed at once and the remainder by prescribed dates.
(4)
To carry out without reserve or delay the trial of war criminals and other unfulfilled portions of Treaty referred to in the first paragraph of this note.
(d)
Failing fulfilment by the German Government of the above conditions by May 12th to proceed to occupy the Valley of Ruhr and to take all other military and naval measures that may be required. Such occupation will continue so long as Germany fails to comply with the conditions summarised in paragraph (c).

  1. Text received in the form of an undated memorandum from the British Embassy; corrections in brackets added from a contemporary printed text (file no. 763.72119/11158).