Paris Peace Conf. 184.1/5
Lieutenant Ralph Hayes to the Executive Officer of the Section of Territorial, Economic and Political Intelligence, Commission to Negotiate Peace ( Bowman )
Memorandum for Dr. Bowman: Following are some excerpts from a confidential report which I made to General Pershing on the day before your party landed at Brest.
“When the party to accompany the Peace Commissioners was made up in America, the Secretary of War was to be with the President, and General Churchill, Chief, M. I. D., selected a group of experts from his department to act as a staff for Mr. Baker. Later General Churchill was informed that for the present at least, Mr. Baker was not to accompany the President; however, General Churchill was told to bring the men he had selected and, in answer to an inquiry of his, was told that the President knew of the plan to keep these military intelligence men in the party.
“There seems to be a considerable amount of feeling in the State Department that this making of peace should be a State Department affair and that whatever participation the War Department has should be distinctly under the direction of the State Department. Hence the group of men brought over with General Churchill failed to receive much of a cordial reception and are looked upon as unnecessary adjuncts.…39 Naturally he is very partial to and enthusiastic about his own group. He says they have been carefully chosen, have available a wealth of information, and can do excellent team work.
“Would not the whole difficulty be solved by the designation of General Churchill by the Commander-in-Chief as Director of Army Peace Personnel. This would permit him:
- (1)
- To disengage the dead timber that has already attached itself to the Commission.
- (2)
- To act as a judge on further additions from the army.
- (3)
- To return to America whatever men from his own group he finds unnecessary here.…39
“My suggestion specifically would be that at a definite hour each morning General Churchill should consider applications received in the preceding twenty four hours for additional army personnel; if necessary should have me or someone else telephone G. H. Q., Tours, or the Central Records Office for information about the men concerned; and in cases where men are sufficiently qualified and where there is sufficient need here, should have me telephone forthwith to [Page 183] G. H. Q. (direct, or through the office of General Harts, or through Tours) for necessary orders.”
Liaison Officer for General Pershing.