different settlement for the sake of its own exterior influence or mastery.

III. The consent of all nations to be governed in their conduct toward each other by the same principles of honor and of respect for the common law of civilized society that govern the individual citizens of all modern States in their relations with one another; to the end that all promises and covenants may be sacredly observed, no private plots or conspiracies hatched, no selfish injuries wrought with impunity, and a mutual trust established upon the handsome foundation of a mutual respect for right.

IV. The establishment of an organization of peace which shall make it certain that the combined power of free nations will check every invasion of right and serve to make peace and justice the more secure by affording a definite tribunal of opinion to which all must submit and by which every international readjustment that cannot be amicably agreed upon by the peoples directly concerned shall be sanctioned. These great objects can be put into a single sentence. What we seek is the reign of law, based upon the consent of the governed and sustained by the organized opinion of mankind.

DOCUMENT 4.

Statement adopted by the Council of Ten, January 17, for presentation to the Press representatives at Paris, explaining policies of publicity (mimeograph).

STATEMENT OF PEACE CONFERENCE ON PUBLICITY, JANUARY 17, 1919.

The representatives of the Allied and Associated Powers have given earnest consideration to the question of publicity for the proceedings of the Peace Conference. They are anxious that the public, through the Press, should have the fullest information compatible with safeguarding the supreme interest of all, which is that a just and honorable settlement should be arrived at with the minimum of delay. It is, however, obvious that publicity with regard to the preliminary conversations now proceeding must be subject to the limitations necessarily imposed by the difficult and delicate nature of their object.

The proceedings of a Peace Conference are far more analogous to those of a Cabinet than to those of a legislature. Nobody has ever suggested that Cabinet meetings should be held in public, and if they were so held, the work of government would become impossible. One reason why Cabinets are held in private is in order that differences may be reconciled and agreement reached before the stage of publicity is begun. The essence of democratic method is not that deliberations of a Government should be conducted in public, but that its conclusions should be subject to the consideration of a popular Chamber and to free and open discussion on the platform and in the Press.

The representatives of the Allied and Associated Powers are holding conversations in order to solve questions which affect the vital interests of many nations and upon which they may, at present, hold many diverse views. These deliberations cannot proceed by the method of a majority vote. No nation can be committed except by the free vote of its own delegates. The conclusions arrived at at these consultations, therefore, can only be formed by the difficult process of reaching agreement among all. This vital process would only be hindered if the discussion of every disputed question were to open by a public declaration by each Delegation of its own national point of view. Such a declaration would in many cases be followed by premature public controversy. This would be serious enough if it were confined to controversy between parties within each State. It might be extremely dangerous if, as would often be inevitable, it resulted in controversy between nations. Moreover such public declarations would render that give and take on the part of the delegates themselves, which is essential to a successful negotiation, a matter of infinitely greater difficulty.

It is also extremely important that the settlement should be not only just but speedy. Every belligerent Power is anxious for the early conclusion of peace, in order that its armies may be demobilised and that it may return once more to the ways of peace. If premature publicity is given to the negotiations, the proceedings of the Peace Conference would be interminably protracted, and the delegates would be forced to speak not only to the business before the Conference, but to concern themselves with the controversies which had been raised by the account of their proceedings outside.

Finally, there will often be very strong reasons against announcing the conclusions of the conversations as they are arrived at. Representatives of a nation may be willing to give their assent on one point only provided they receive a concession on another point which has not yet been discussed. It will not be possible to judge of the wisdom and justice of the Peace settlement until it can be viewed as a whole, and premature announcements

might lead to misapprehensions and anxiety as to the ultimate results for which there was no real foundation.

In calling attention, however, to these necessary limitations on publicity, the representatives of the Powers do not underrate the importance of carrying public opinion with them in the vast task by which they are confronted. They recognize that unless public opinion approves of the results of their labours, they will be nugatory.

This reasoning applies with conclusive force to the present conversations between the representatives of the Great Powers.

With regard to the full conferences, the following rule was adopted:

Representatives of the Press shall be admitted to the meetings of the full conference but upon necessary occasions the deliberations of the Conference may be held in

camera.

DOCUMENT 5.

Text of Resolutions adopted by delegates of the Allied and American Press, at the Hotel Ritz, January 16, 1919 (mimeograph).

At a meeting of the special committee appointed by the delegates of the Allied and American press, held at the Hotel Ritz, Paris, the sixteenth of January, 1919, it was unanimously resolved:

One That it is essential to ensure full publicity to the peace negotiations.

Two-That the official communiqués issued by the Peace Conference shall be as complete as possible.

Three That, in addition to the official communiqués, full summaries of each day's proceedings should be issued, not necessarily for textual publication, but for the guidance of the members of the press who will maintain full freedom of comment.

Four-That this committee is opposed to any rule of the Conference which would interfere with free intercourse between delegates and responsible journalists.

Five That the committee recommends equality of treatment of the Allied press by the abolition of the censorship in all Allied countries.

Six-That, apart from the general question of the admission of representatives of the press to the Peace Conference and conversations, the committee is of opinion that journalists representing all Allied countries and America should be permitted to attend the formal opening session of the Conference.

There being substantial agreement among the British, Italian and American delegations, and that of the smaller nations, to recommend equal representation of the press at the Conferences, from which, however, the French