Paris Peace Conf. 180.0501/6
The Supreme Economic Council held its Sixth Meeting on 7th March, 1919,
at 12 noon under the Chairmanship of Lord Robert Cecil.
With reference to Minute 27 a report of Admiral Hope (21) of the
Conference with German Delegates at Spa on 4th and 5th March and
resolutions regarding the conditions on which the Associated Governments
would be prepared to consider the supply of foodstuffs to Germany until
the next harvest, were submitted:
It was agreed that as the Council was unable to agree upon the final form
of the resolution to be adopted the drafts submitted by the different
Delegates should be submitted to the Supreme War Council for their
decision.1
The British Delegates reported that the Technical Experts were about to
proceed to Rotterdam to discuss with German Representatives the question
of arranging contracts for the supply by Germany of certain
miscellaneous goods such as timber, dyes, potash, etc. and enquired,
whether in view of the present position, it was considered
[Page 49]
desirable that the above
negotiations should be suspended for the present.
It was agreed that the Technical Experts should be authorised to proceed
to Rotterdam as previously arranged.
Appendix 212
Preliminary Report of Meetings
Held at Spa on the 4th and 5th March, 1919, Between Delegates of
Associated Governments and Delegates of the German Government
With Regard to the Financial, Shipping, and Food Supply
Arrangements for Carrying Out the Revictualling of
Germany
The first meeting of the German Delegates at Spa was held at 6 p.m.
on the 4th March.
Admiral Hope opened the meeting by making a statement as to the
questions which were to be discussed.
He informed the German Delegates that no foodstuffs would be
permitted to enter Germany until substantial progress had been made
in the handing-over of the German passenger and cargo vessels. It
was pointed out that it was impossible to secure the revictualling
of Germany without having the ships, and he concluded by demanding
that the German Government should take immediate steps to ensure the
departure of the German ships now ready and to take all steps
necessary to place the whole German fleet at the disposal of the
Allied and Associated Governments in accordance with the agreements
already made.
A statement referring to the financial questions was then read, in
which certain questions which had been put by the Germans at Treves
on the 14th–16th February, 1919, were answered.
The Germans were informed that they would be allowed to import
cereals from the Argentine into Germany up to a maximum of 100,000
tons in the first instance, in addition to the supplies already
promised, provided the German Government was able to make its own
financial arrangements, subject to the approval of the Supreme
Economic Council. They were also informed that the Associated
Governments would raise no objection to the grant of credits by
banks or other institutions in neutral countries, provided
arrangements were made for the transfer of the net proceeds of such
credits in payment for food supplies to Germany. The paper concluded
with a statement that the whole of these arrangements were
conditional upon the delivery of the German mercantile marine in
accordance with existing arrangements.
[Page 50]
A paper laying down the details for the delivery of the ships was
also read.
The President of the German Delegation, Herr von Braun, then stated
that the German Government was of opinion that the delivery of the
German merchant fleet could only begin from the moment when the
revictualling of Germany with foodstuffs was secured and details
regarding shipping matters brought to a satisfactory conclusion.
He stated that the arrangements which had taken place up to the
present had not led to the point where the revictualling of Germany
was secured.
The German Government agreed that the delivery of the vessels must
precede the import of foodstuffs into Germany, but they could only
consider this importation of foodstuffs into Germany as secured if a
contract were made in which it was stated at what price and in what
quantities foodstuffs would be introduced into Germany from this
time on to the next harvest. He pointed out that the total of
370,000 tons now promised was not sufficient to keep Germany going
until next harvest.
Herr von Braun added that there was, therefore, an essential point of
difference. The German Government was of the opinion that the fixing
of the amount of foodstuffs to be imported into Germany must precede
the delivery of the German mercantile fleet, as they could only look
upon the revictualling of Germany as secure when the amount of
foodstuffs which could be imported had been fixed.
The German Delegation was then informed that the Armistice Clause was
perfectly clear in the minds of the Associated Governments. It did
not say to what extent they would provision Germany and the rest of
Europe; it merely said that in order to be able to carry out the
revictualling of Germany and the rest of Europe, the ships should be
handed over. On the following day, the 17th January, the German
Representative had signed a definite convention to hand over the
ships immediately, and at that time the Associated Governments made
a definite promise to supply a certain quantity of foodstuffs; there
had never been any mention of provisioning Germany or anybody up to
the next harvest.
They were informed that the Associated Governments contemplated
further supplies of foodstuffs to Germany, but that at the present
time they were not prepared to make any definite arrangements as to
the quantities and terms.
Further discussion on this question then took place.
Finally, the meeting was adjourned about 7.30 p.m. to enable the
German Delegates to communicate with their Government.
The adjourned meeting took place at 4 p.m. on the 5th March.
Herr von Braun read a statement in which he reiterated the arguments
brought forward at the previous meeting.
[Page 51]
He concluded by stating that the German Government could not decide
to hand over the merchant fleet without obtaining further
substantial confirmation of the existence of the intention to supply
Germany to a further extent.
The German Government had instructed him to stand firm on this point,
viz., that the German merchant fleet would only be put at the
disposal of the Allies as soon as a binding agreement assuring the
provisioning of Germany up to the time of the next harvest had been
made. He understood that the Allied Representatives were not
empowered to enter into such agreement. He suggested that, with a
view to finding a possibility of continuing the negotiations, we
should endeavour to arrange to come to an agreement as to a partial
handing-over of the fleet in proportion to the amount of foodstuffs
approved to be delivered, but that he must make the stipulation that
they must have the certainty of the definite drawing-up of a scheme
for the provisioning of Germany to be accomplished in the near
future in return for the handing-over of the remainder of the fleet,
and that the questions regarding the shipping agreement which were
as yet unsettled would be arranged.
The meeting was then adjourned for a few minutes to enable the Allied
and Associated Government Representatives to consider Herr von
Braun’s statement.
On the re-assembly of the meeting the German Delegates were informed
that the German Government had undertaken to deliver the whole of
their merchant ships immediately against a specific promise of the
delivery of the first instalment of the food and a general
undertaking as regards the future.
They were informed that the Associated Representatives were not
authorised to vary this agreement. With a view, however, to clearing
up, for the German Representatives, the position which they did not
appear completely to understand, the Associated Representatives were
prepared to make the following declaration, and they trusted that
this declaration would constitute to the German Government the
explanation it desired, covering the promise of the deliveries of
food during the coming months.
“In reply to the representations made on behalf of the German
Government, the Representatives of the Associated Governments
desire to state that, subject to the immediate delivery of the
German mercantile marine, it is the intention of the Associated
Governments to facilitate the provisioning of Germany from month
to month, subject to the decisions of the Supreme War Council as
to quantities and conditions; that they are already authorised
to settle finally the terms and amounts of the first instalment;
and they desire also formally to reiterate the declarations
already made on behalf of their Governments.
[Page 52]
“They repeat that the object of the delivery of the German
mercantile marine is to ensure the supplying of Germany and the
rest of Europe with food supplies; that ‘in the first instance’
the importation of food will be permitted up to 270,000 tons,
and that the question of further supplies will be referred to
the Supreme War Council for decision; and that the Supreme
Economic Council ‘is disposed, subject to the approval of the
Associated Governments, to consider a request from the German
Representatives for additional foodstuffs for delivery in the
immediate future, provided that satisfactory financial
arrangements are made by the German Representatives with the
financial Representatives of the Associated
Government.’”
Herr von Braun replied that his declaration contained no new factor
as far as they were concerned. They could see no definite assurance
for the provisioning of Germany, as it was made dependent on three
uncertain conditions, viz., questions of amounts, conditions and
financial agreements; another difficulty was that the decision
regarding these three factors was made subject to the consent of the
Supreme War Council. He returned to the suggestion that a way might
be found to make a preliminary agreement whereby only a part of the
German fleet should be handed over in return for certain
consignments of food. He pointed out that it was impossible for the
German Government to remain in the present state of uncertainty, and
that it was a life and death question for the people of Germany. He
added that no Government would take the responsibility of continuing
such a state of affairs and without the certitude that we would help
them. They could not deprive themselves of the only method of
keeping themselves.
In reply, it was pointed out that the German proposal to hand over
the ships proportionately to the delivery of food was impracticable,
as it would be impossible to make any programme for the supply of
food unless all ships were handed over.
Beyond that, the Associated Representatives had no authority to go
further or to say more than they had already done, and that they had
endeavoured to make it clear that their Governments adhere to the
letter and spirit of their previous engagements. They must,
therefore, demand that the German Government should carry out their
engagements under the terms of the Armistice, as it was beyond the
competence of the Conference to vary them.
It was proposed that the meeting should be again adjourned to enable
them to get into communication with their Government.
After further discussion, the German Delegates agreed to adjourn the
meeting in order once more to communicate with their Government.
About 11 p.m. the following letter was received from Herr von Braun:—
“I have the honour to report that a telephone communication I
have just had with Weimar has once more asserted to me that
they cannot
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alter
their standpoint, because they cannot consider themselves
justified to put the German mercantile marine fleet at the
moment under the control of the Associated Governments
without the food supply of Germany being assured to her at
the same time. I would much regret if the Representatives of
the Associated Governments were to consider it necessary to
break off the present negotiations, and beg that you shall
once more consider whether the method suggested by us for a
partial delivery of the mercantile marine in proportion to
the deliveries of food already settled does not offer the
possibility of a continuance of the negotiations. I can
assure you that the German Representatives are ready to meet
you as far as possible with regard to the apportionment of
numbers and nature of the ships which are to be handed over
now.
“If this proposed solution is not at the moment practicable
for the Representatives of the Associated Governments, the
re-assembly of the Conference would serve no useful
purpose.
“I hasten to inform you of this decision
to-night.”
A meeting of the Allied and Associated Representatives was held to
consider this letter, at which it was decided that the solution
proposed by the German Delegates was not one which was within their
competence to discuss, and that the reassembly of the Conference
would not, therefore, serve any useful purpose, and they decided to
return to Paris immediately in order to report to the Supreme War
Council.
A letter in the following terms was then sent to Herr von Braun, and
the arrangements were made for the immediate return to Paris.
“Admiral Hope begs to inform the Chairman of the German civilian
Delegates at Spa that he is in receipt of his letter of to-day,
notifying the Delegates of the Allied and Associated Governments
of the inability of the German Delegates, in view of their
instructions from Weimar, to modify their attitude as
communicated this afternoon. In view of the nature of the
instructions of the Delegates of the Allied and Associated
Governments the solution proposed by the German Delegates is not
one which it is within their competence to discuss. The
reassembly of the Conference to-morrow would not appear,
therefore, to serve any useful purpose, and the Allied and
Associated Delegates are leaving for Paris immediately to report
to their Governments.
G. Hope,
Rear-Admiral.”
June 3 [March 6],
1919.
