CFM Files
United States Delegation Journal
USDel (PC) (Journal) 32
Consideration of the French redraft for Article 4718 was deferred upon a motion by the United Kingdom Delegation. Article 48 having [Page 345] been accepted at the previous meeting, Article 49 was the next item of business. A motion, by Admiral Conolly, for the substitution of the words “naval vessel” for the word “ship” in the first sentence of the first paragraph was accepted and Article 49 was adopted unanimously.
For Article 50 Mr. Alexander (U.K.) proposed the following changes: for the word “acquired” in point 1 substitute “acquired or replaced”; under point 5 after the word “ship” insert “other than battleship”; and under point 6 delete “so far as necessary”, substitute “for purposes of the present treaty”. These changes were accepted and Article 50 with the U.K. amendments was adopted unanimously.
Admiral Conolly pointed out that in Article 51 under point 2 the title “International Control Board for Mine Clearance of European Waters” should be corrected by the substitution of “Central” for “Control”. Article 51 with the United States correction was adopted unanimously. The Yugoslav Delegation had introduced an amendment (CP Gen Doc. 1 U 16) to Article 52 each part of which was discussed separately. The first part was intended to reduce the number of cardbinieri from 65,000 to 30,000. Mr. Alexander and General Catroux (France) opposed this part of the amendment. General Pika (Czechoslovakia) supported it in principle but proposed a change.19 Admiral Manola (Yugoslavia) withdrew the first part of the Yugoslav amendment. A debate developed over the next part of the Yugoslav amendment which was designed to prevent former members of the Fascist Militia or of the Fascist Republican Army from becoming officers or noncommissioned officers in the Italian army. Mr. Alexander proposed a rewording of this part of the Yugoslav amendment: “in no case shall any officers or noncommissioned officers of the former Fascist Militia or former Fascist Republican Army be admitted with officer or noncommissioned officer rank to the Italian Army, Navy or Air Force except those persons exonerated by the appropriate body in accordance with Italian law.” The Byelorussian Delegation suggested an amplification of Mr. Alexander’s proposal which would prevent former members of the Fascist party from holding officer rank. General Pika suggested adding “carabinieri” at the end of Mr. Alexander’s proposal. Mr. Alexander accepted General Pika’s suggestion.
Admiral Manola agreed to Mr. Alexander’s amendment but disagreed with the addition proposed by the Delegate of Byelorussia because he said the experience of the war had shown that many poor people in Italy had been forced into the Fascist party in order to [Page 346] exist; but that functionaries of the party will be punished by the loss of civil rights and would so automatically be prevented from becoming officers. He accepted General Pika’s addition to Mr. Alexander’s text. General Slavin supported the U.K. text but suggested that it be added after Article 52. General Balmer said that the United States Delegation was agreed, in principle, with the Yugoslav amendment and would accept the amended version as an article, but that the Delegation was not in favor of the Byelorussian change and would agree to the Czechoslovakian change. He thought that the new Article should come after Article 46 because it was of a general nature.
The United Kingdom rewording of the original Yugoslav amendment to Article 52 as changed by the Czechoslovak addition was adopted unanimously to be inserted as Article 46A.
Mr. Alexander suggested a clarification of the stipulation for control of the number of tanks to be possessed by Italy. He proposed the insertion of the words “the total number of medium and heavy tanks in the Italian Army shall not exceed 200”. Mr. Alexander’s proposal as amended by substitution of the words “armed forces” for “army”, a change suggested by General Slavin was adopted unanimously as Article 46B.
Article 52 with point 2 deleted by reason of the adoption of Article 46B was adopted unanimously.
Articles 53, 54, 55, 56, and 57 were adopted unanimously with no objection and no discussion.
The Chairman pointed out that the Australian amendment to Article 58 [C.P.(Gen.) Doc.1.B.8] had been automatically rejected by the decision of the previous meeting and that only the Greek amendment [C.P.(Gen.)Doc.1.J.8] remained to be discussed. He adjourned the meeting at this point (12:40 p.m.).
The next meeting will be held Wednesday, September 4, at 10:00 a.m.