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

Paris Peace Conf. 184.00101/83

Minutes of the Daily Meetings of the Commissioners Plenipotentiary, Saturday, June 7th, 1919

June 7, 1919

• Present:
  • Mr. Lansing
  • Mr. White
  • Gen. Bliss
  • Mr. Herter

1. Mr. Herter read a memorandum prepared by Captain Hornbeck suggesting that a telegram be sent to the American Minister at Pekin, answering three questions asked by the Minister in regard to the Shantung decision by the Peace Conference and in regard to the attitude which China should adopt toward the Peace Treaty as a whole. The Commissioners approved of the draft of the telegram in question and requested that it be dispatched at the earliest possible moment. Question Asked by Amer. Minister Pekin re Shantung Decision

2. Mr. Herter read a second memorandum prepared by Captain Hornbeck, giving the text of a telegram from the American Minister to China, in which the latter quoted an interview which he had had with the President of China regarding the Shantung decision.⁹⁴ Captain Hornbeck, likewise, suggested that an effort be made to secure from the Japanese Delegation at the Peace Conference an official and binding statement in regard to the restoration to China of the leased territory of Kiau-Chiau and the cancellation of certain portions of the Convention between Germany and China of March 1898.⁹⁵ The Commissioners requested that a letter be drafted to the President embodying these suggestions made by Captain Hornbeck, and that it be stated in this letter that these suggestions meet with the general approval of the Commissioners. Interview of Amer. Minister to China With President of China re Shantung Decision

3. Memorandum No. 336 was read quoting a letter from Major Lawrence Martin respecting the casualties in Carinthia since the time of Colonel Miles’ investigation in January and pointing out that this loss of life could have been saved if Colonel Miles’ recommendations in respect to the Carinthian boundary had been put into effect at once. The Commissioners agreed that there was no use in making any reply to Major Martin’s memorandum, but that for the sake of the records a complete statement in regard to the history of Colonel Miles’ recommendation should be appended to the memorandum in question for future reference. All of the facts in the case are at the disposal of Colonel Wallace, who would be in a position to furnish them in order to make the record clear. Letter from Major Martin re Casualties in Carinthia

4. Memorandum No. 337 was read, recommending that the Commissioners authorize the expenditure of a sum not to exceed 10,000 francs to be placed at the disposal of a committee made up of the Disbursing Officer, the Hotel Manager, Mr. Patchin and the Administrative Officer, to be divided among such persons as might be designated by these gentlemen as gratuities for services rendered at the Hotel Crillon. The Commissioners desired a more complete statement as to the individuals who would benefit by such an allotment and likewise the opinion of Mr. McNeir and the Secretary-General as to the necessity therefor. Allotment of 10,000 Francs for Gratuities

5. Memorandum No. 338 was read, giving the substance of a statement made by Major Tyler in regard to a telegram which he had sent to Mr. Moore respecting the attack and robbery of Mr. Mr. Moore and Lt. Khachadoorian in the Caucasus. At the same time a telegram from Mr. Moore, dated May 31, was also read, in which it was stated that owing to the previous telegram sent by the Mission, Mr. Moore was now able to handle the situation in Tiflis. The Commissioners felt that there was nothing further to be done in this matter, but that the receipt of the telegram from Mr. Moore, of May 31, merely went to prove that it was unfortunate that our telegram of May 20 had been allowed to go out without their seeing it. Attack and Robbery of Mr. Moore and Lt. Khachadoorian, Members Amer. Mil. Mission to Caucasus

6. Memorandum No. 339 was read in regard to suggestions made by Dr. Shotwell with respect to the disposition of the records of the Peace Conference. The Commissioners agreed with the suggestions made by Dr. Shotwell and approved of the formation of a small committee to collect the full records of the Conference and assort them for future accessibility and likewise agreed that it would be well to have certain secondary and non-confidential material placed in the Library of Congress through Dr. Putnam. Disposition of Records of Peace Conference

7. Memorandum No. 340 was considered, in which an inquiry was made on behalf of Col. Grant, as to whether the Delegation of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was a proper designation for the Delegation which had formerly been called the Delegation of Serbia. The Commissioners agreed that inasmuch as the credentials of the Plenipotentiaries in question had been signed on behalf of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and had been accepted by the Peace Conference, that this was a virtual recognition of that Kingdom. The Commissioners therefore felt that Colonel Grant should insist upon this designation, but should, in case a formal protest was made by the Italian Government, bring the matter again to the attention of the Commissioners. Designation of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

94. See telegram of May 30, 1919, 5 p.m., from the Minister in China to the Acting Secretary of State, Foreign Relations, 1919, vol. i, p. 695.
95. Convention between China and Germany respecting the lease of Kiaochow, March 6, 1898; John V. A. MacMurray, Treaties and Agreements With and Concerning China, 1894–1919, vol. i, p. 112. Text in part in Foreign Relations, 1900, p. 383.