Paris Peace Conf. 840.48/1
Report of the Committee Appointed by the Allied Premiers To Consider Victualling and Supply of Allied, Neutral, and Enemy Countries
At the Allied Conference in London on December 3rd the British, French and Italian Governments remitted to M. Clementel, M. Bouisson, Lord Beading, Sir Joseph Maclay, Signor Crespi and Signor Villa, with Mr. Hoover and Mr. Hurley if available, the examination of the question of the victualling and supply of Allied, Neutral and Enemy countries, in its economic, financial and other aspects as well as the connected question of the handing over to the Allies of enemy merchant ships, with a view to the preparation of a full report for the consideration of the four Governments.
(2) In pursuance of this resolution the representatives named in the foregoing paragraph of the British, French, Italian and United States Governments (with the exception of M. Bouisson whose place was taken by M. Boret, and of Signor Villa) have met [Page 655] and examined with the greatest care President Wilson’s memorandum which was transmitted to the respective governments by Colonel House.27b
Before considering the memorandum in detail, the representatives of the British, French and Italian Governments desire to state that they are in complete accord with the expressed wish of the Government of the United States that the populations of Neutral countries and even of enemy countries shall not have to endure unnecessary privation and danger of famine.
The Allied Governments are anxious to maintain in its integrity the principle of cooperation with the United States Government which has hitherto regulated the action they have taken in common. They most earnestly wish to associate themselves, so far as their resources enable them, with the organization and general policy of supply which the United States Government has proposed to them for the freed territories and neutral and enemy countries, and they have reason to believe that, after arranging for the needs of the invaded regions and the allied countries, the exportable surplus will prove sufficient to meet the needs of neutral and of enemy countries in addition.
There are, however, certain general principles which must govern the supply of food and which may be stated as follows:—
- (a)
- It is important to avoid the establishment of two parallel and independent organizations, one supplying the needs of the Allies and the other the needs of the liberated peoples, neutrals and enemies. If the associated Governments were to establish such parallel and independent organizations they might give the enemy the impression that the unanimity of view which has marked inter-allied organizations during the War has undergone a change which the enemy might think he could exploit.
- (b)
- It is equally important that this impression of close unanimity and association should be maintained in each of the associated countries throughout the period when peace negotiations will be taking place and when the unanimity of national feeling ought to be a guarantee of united action.
- (c)
- It is also important that the peoples who have benefited by a relief in which all the associated countries take part should not consider it as furnished by the United States Government contrary to the intentions of the Allied Governments, who would thus appear to be solely responsible for a policy of prolonging the blockade.
- The proposed organization for the relief of the liberated, neutral and enemy countries should be conceived in such a way that during the specially troubled period through which we are passing, it will be a means of safeguarding and organizing peoples menaced by social disruption. The supplies which are allocated to them ought to appear to them as the first beneficent application of the great principles which govern the policies of the associated Governments.
It is in the light of the foregoing principles, which are in agreement with those expressed by the President of the United States, that the Allied Governments have examined the proposal that he has submitted to them and have elaborated it with a view to united action.
(3) A Council should be formed composed of two representatives of each Government, either Ministers or representatives armed with Ministerial powers.
(4) The Council to be set up under the foregoing proposal would:
- (a)
- consider and determine questions of general policy, and arrange the general programme.
- (b)
- consider and determine the need for importation or relief in the various countries, taking into account the exportable surplus of food available.
- (c)
- consider and determine the Governments or bodies to which allocations of food shall be made in any case.
- (d)
- consider and determine the use of stocks of food held by the enemy in neutral countries.
- (e)
- lay down generally the principles on which the administration of relief should proceed.
(5) To enable them to carry out the foregoing duties the Council shall receive reports from the existing Inter-Allied organizations of the Allied programmes and of their execution. These programmes shall not be reduced for the purpose of supplying Neutrals and enemies. The execution of the Allied programmes shall continue to be carried on as in the past without any change by the existing organizations.
The Council shall receive from the Allied Blockade Committee proposed allocations for the supply of each of the Neutral Countries. It shall receive from the Neutral Countries their proposals as to the countries of origin from which they desire to receive their allocation.
(6) The Council shall if necessary determine by Inter-Allied experts appointed by it the needs, internal supplies, means of distribution, in short, the food position of the liberated and enemy countries.
(7) The council shall establish an Inter-Allied staff to gather information on questions needing decision. The staff shall supply the necessary statistics and transmit the instructions of the Council to the different organizations concerned.
(8) The Council shall decide the allocations to be made to each of the liberated, Neutral or enemy countries, by countries or origin where there is a surplus at disposal after provision for the Allied needs as determined by the existing Inter-Allied Committees.
finance
Enemy Countries
It would fall to the Council to consider the various financial problems involved. It was stated by the United States representatives [Page 657] that as regards products from the United States there would probably be no difficulty in the United States finding the necessary working capital. It is clear, however, that having regard to the other very large financial claims upon enemy countries, political questions will arise in relation to the payment for food supplied to enemy populations.
Neutrals
As regards Neutrals no difficulty need be anticipated as to payment. Generally speaking the Neutrals have an abundance of gold and credits. Indeed from the point of view of the Exchanges it would appear to be rather an advantage than a burden to supply them with food.
Liberated Countries
There remains the question of the supply of food to liberated peoples who are not able to pay. This question with other financial problems involved will have to be considered by the Council in conjunction with the Treasuries of the associated Governments.
The Council shall determine the compensations to be obtained from Neutrals or enemies, whether in credits or in materials, and shall propose their distribution amongst the four associated countries in proportions to be determined.
administration
It is most important that the European Allies shall not appear to stand aloof from the work of relieving distress in Europe. This, however, would be the consequence if the administration of relief should be solely by the United States and not by the United States and the Allies jointly. The answer that there will be an Allied Council laying down the principles of relief does not meet the difficulty as the suffering populations would know nothing of the existence of the Allied Council and would think that the Allies had refused to co-operate in relieving their suffering populations. This aspect of the matter is of special importance, to the European Allies, France and Italy more particularly, who are contiguous to the distressed populations in Europe, and therefore the work of relief should be recognized everywhere as being joint in character.
There was general agreement on these views among members of the Committee.
With these considerations in mind and having regard to the high degree of confidence placed by the Allied Governments in the United States Food Administrator, the British, French and Italian Governments recommend that the present United States Food Administrator should act as a mandatory of the Allied and United States Governments in the actual administration of relief in accordance with the [Page 658] Council’s directions, so that it may be shown to the relieved populations that the Allies and the United States are engaged jointly in the assistance given.
A representative of Great Britain, France and Italy, respectively, shall be appointed who shall be kept informed by the United States Food Administrator of the progressive execution of the relief programmes for each country.
The supplies of food allocated to liberated peoples and to neutral or enemy countries shall be placed upon arrival for disposal as directed by the Council. The distributions shall be watched by a representative of the United States Food Administrator as mandatory of the Allies and he shall maintain communication with the diplomatic or official representatives in those countries of the Allied Governments, and keep them fully informed.
enemy tonnage
The necessity of bringing all enemy ocean-going tonnage into operation at the earliest moment was emphasized at the Conference and the members of the Committee were in general agreement upon this point. It was suggested that the most expeditious method of obtaining the German tonnage would probably be to convey a message to the enemy through the Armistice Committee or Marshal Foch. The suggestion was accepted and, in order to save time, steps shall be taken to bring the matter to the notice of the proper authorities.
It will be the duty of the proposed Council to lay down the principles on which enemy tonnage should be employed.
(12) All decisions of the Council are subject in the last resort to the approval of the respective Governments represented thereon, each Government retaining the final right to withhold assent.
N. B. It is understood that this Memorandum is subject to modification and revision after examination with experts. In any event it is merely intended as a report to the respective Governments.