On the other hand, China has a very large coast line, and her railways, which connect her with the three big neighboring Powers will have considerable development after the war.

It is for these reasons that I ask for the representation of the Chinese delegation on the two Commissions I have indicated.

I may perhaps make a suggestion. I have heard my honorable colleague, who represents Brazil, saying: "The Conference decided this, the Conference decided that." I personally have had the experience of two Peace Conferences, as Mr. Léon Bourgois kindly remarked a moment ago: I think that the present Conference will make its work much more interesting if it will concentrate the efforts of the two former ones, which have established a panel of delegates from which each delegation interested in any one particular question could select one or two members for the working of the Commission. That is a suggestion I beg to propose to this Conference.

Mr. Dmowski (Poland): In view of the extent of the territory of Poland, the size of the population, and the economic development of the country, and in view also of her political interests and her very important geographical position, I am of opinion that she should have the right to send a delegate to all such Commissions as she may think fit.

I rise to associate myself with those members present who have opposed the method whereby it is proposed to choose these five delegates for Powers with special interests. The large number of voices which have been raised shows that the task of assembling the delegates of the Secondary Powers would be very difficult, that the discussion between them would, firstly, involve much loss of time and, secondly, would not tend towards harmony among them. I beg leave to propose that each delegation should draw up a written statement of its case in making a demand for the number of representatives whom it wishes to send to each Commission. I would likewise propose that there should be a Commission above all the others to decide finally on the composition of each of them. We would accept its decisions in advance, being convinced that it would seriously consider the interests of all the Powers whatevere they may be.

The President, speaking in French, replies to the observations and suggestions of the delegates, in a speech of which the followiag is a translation:

"As nobody else wishes to speak, I shall speak in my turn in order to try to justify the Bureau. It requires this, for if it had ever flattered itself that it could satisfy everybody, it would by now be thoroughly disilusioned.

"Sir Robert Borden has reproached us, though in a very friendly way, for having come to a decision. Well, we have decided, as regards the Commissions, in the same way as we decided to summon the present Conference. With your permission I will remind you that it was we who decided that there should be a Conference at Paris, and that the representatives of the countries interested should be summoned to attend it. I make no mystery of it-there is a Conference of the Great Powers going on in the next room. Sir Robert Borden has the less reason to be unaware of it since he yesterday

did us the single honor of making a statement before us on questions concerning the British Colonies.

"The Five Great Powers whose action has to be justified before you today are in a position to justify it. The British Prime Minister just now reminded me that, on the day when the war ceased, the Allies had 12,000,000 men fighting on various fronts. This entitles them to consideration.

"We have had dead, we have wounded in millions, and if we had not kept before us the great question of the League of Nations we might perhaps have been selfish enough to consult only each other. It was our right.

"We did not wish to do this, and we summoned all the nations interested. We summoned them, not to impose our will upon them, not to make them do what they do not wish, but to ask them for their help. That is why we invited them to come here. But we still have to see how this help can best be used.

"A few days ago Mr. Lloyd George was cruel enough to remind me that I was no longer very young. I entered Parliament for the first time in 1871. I have seen many Committees and Commissions and attended many meetings, and I have noticed-as most of you perhaps have also noticed that the larger the Committees are the less chance they have of doing any work.

"Now, Gentlemen, let me tell you that behind us is something very great, very august and at times very imperious, something which is called public opinion. It will not ask us whether such and such a State was represented on such and such a Commission. That interests nobody. It will ask us for results, ask us what we have done for the League of Nations so eloquently championed today by President Wilson, Mr. Lloyd George, Mr. Bourgeois and Mr. Örlando.

"What crime have we committed? We have decided that, for our part, we would appoint two delegates each on the Commission on the League of Nations. I would beg Mr. Hymans and all those who followed him to let me keep to the point. As soon as I indulgently allowed him to wander from it, as soon as the door was opened, everybody rushed in and discussed everything except the subject under discussion. It is my duty to guide the Conference in its work in order to obtain a result.

"We have therefore decided to appoint two delegates each, and then may I be pardoned for it-we have decided to ask you to appoint five delegates in common.

If you do not think this enough, I will not take the responsibility of choosing from among you all, since each asks for more representation, but I will make a proposal: Choose all of us, so that everybody will at least have his rights.

"What is the complaint? Has any right been denied to any Power? You all know how Committees work and you have the right to go before any Committee you like. Mr. Bourgeois, who is here, is not a plenipotentiary. He spoke with the authority to which he is entitled, and you were glad to hear him. I have heard Mr. Veniselos and many of you say: 'Our voice will not be heard.' How can you level such a reproach at us? Your voice will be all the better heard, because we are now arranging a means by which we can listen to each other. You can be heard on all the Commis

sions and Committees, and, after all, are you not sure that your voice will reach the Conference since you yourselves will be present and able to speak there?

"Think, Gentlemen, of the consequences of the proposals now made to us. As Mr. Dmowski said just now, requests will be made in writing and we shall collect these papers and then spend an hour or two in our Committee trying to find the best way out of these difficulties. But that is of no use either, for what we want is tangible results. The armistice still keeps many millions of men at the front. It is not questions of procedure, but essential ones, that have to be decided. I ask all of you to consider the consequences of the proposals which come to us from all parts of this Assembly. If today we leave aside the essential question to indulge in debates in procedure, I think I am safe in saying that at the end of a week or even of a fortnight nothing will have been settled and the essential question will not even have been examined. "Now, the public is waiting. This state of things appears to me impossible. I join Mr. Dmowski in asking anybody having observations to make to send them to the Bureau. But I do not ask for a special Committee to decide the matter.

"Why should I not say what I think? I do not see that the Committee has the right to impose its will upon these five Powers. At least I say what I think. I want to get on, and I should very much like you to make up your minds today.

"Let me make a suggestion which might suit everybody for the time. You might vote on all the proposals which we put before you today, reserving the right, which all Assemblies have, to insert amendments. But, Gentlemen, do not let us go home today without having voted decisively, so that President Wilson, Mr. Bourgeois, Lord Robert Cecil and all of them may be able to get to work this evening and the Commissions to start from tomorrow. My aim and that of my colleagues of the other Powers is to organize Commissions as soon as possible, so as to give them work. All those of you wish to appear before them will do so. Anybody who wants changes will ask for them. As proposed by Mr. Dmowski, they will be examined and reported on. In this way we shall at least have the advantage of beginning work at once.

"We propose to you to appoint a certain number of Commissions. There will be two-one economic and the other financial-to be appointed at the next Session, after which all the Commissions will be working, the order of the day can be satisfactorily dealt with, and effective discussion begun.

"I beg your pardon, Gentlemen, for having spoken at such length, but all that I have said appeared to me necessary. Think of the immense work awaiting us. Just think of it! As President Wilson just now said, in an admirable sentence which sums up the whole question: We, like our Armies, wish to win not only the war, but a cause.' We have the burden and responsibility of this cause in our hands. Of course, questions of procedure have their importance, too. They will be settled in due course. If the number of Commissions proves insufficient it can be increased-we leave you quite free in that respect-but remember, Gentlemen, the larger the Commissions, the less gets done.

"Gentlemen, since I began to take part in these discussions I have sacrificed a certain number of personal opinions. I have done this cheerfully, feeling that I was doing something good and useful for the Common Cause. That was what I said to myself just now on hearing the noble words of President Wilson and Mr. Lloyd George.

"Let all of us, Gentlemen, be animated by the same spirit. The Bureau never wished to hurt anybody at all. On the contrary, it would like to unite you all in one group. Let us, then, start work at once and in the meantime claims will be presented and your Bureau able to start work.”

Mr. Hymans (Belgium) declares that he will say no more for fear of justifying the reproaches of the President of the Conference, and confines himself to the following observation:

"I simply propose that the Conference should vote on the resolutions which have been submitted to it. The Bureau has heard the observations which have been made in this Assembly. As I said just now, I have confidence in its justice, and I ask it to pay attention to those observations, to revise the composition of the Commissions and decide thereon."

Mr. Klotz (France) lays on the table of the Conference, for reference to the Commission which has just been appointed, a draft proposal for a financial Section of the League of Nations.

The President submits to the Conference resolutions relative to the appointment of the four other Commissions for which provision is made in the order of the day, and for which the Powers with special interests have to name their delegates.

He recalls the fact that the second Commission has to examine the responsibility of the authors of the war and the enforcement of penalties (Annex 2) and that the small Powers have to choose five representatives on this Commission.

In reply to an observation made by Mr. Calogeras (Brazil) on the subject of the number of representatives alloted to his country, the President points out that Brazil has no reason to complain of the number of Delegates allowed to her, and that it does not follow that because a country is not represented on a Commis sion, it has not the same rights as those who are.

On the third Commission, which will consider the question. of reparation for damages (Annex 3), Belgium, Greece, Poland. Roumania and Serbia are asked to appoint two representatives each.

With regard to the text of the resolution relative to this Commission, Mr. Klotz (France) observes that there appears to be an important omission in it. It says that this Commission will have to examine various questions: (1) the amount of reparation which the enemy Powers ought to pay: (2) their capacity for payment; (3) by what method, in what form, and within what time this payment must be made. To this last paragraph it will be well to add: "And the guarantees necessary to insure its payment."

The amendment proposed by Mr. Klotz is referred to the Bureau for examination.

On the fourth (International Legislation on Labor-Annex 4) and fifth (International Control of Ports, Waterways and Railways Annex 5) Commissions, the Powers with special interests will for the time appoint five Delegates.

The President proposes that these appointments should be made on January 27.

Mr. Hymans (Belgium) having asked that the Secretariat should examine the question and arrive at a decision regarding the number of representatives to be appointed, the President replies that the question is one for the Bureau, and not for the Secretariat. He adds: I ask that the Bureau should retain its liberty of action. If you do not wish to name your Delegates now, but would rather wait, so be it, but, let me tell you, at this moment we are occupied with serious questions. The Polish question is among the foremost. On Monday we have to hear Delegates. If you ask for the postponement of the election, it will be postponed, but I must tell you that the Delegates of the Great Powers, for their part, will not consider themselves to have been postponed and nobody will gain anything.

As for us, we think that our work is urgent, and we ask the help of the whole Conference to assist us to get through it.

Mr. Hymans (Belgium) expresses agreement, and asks for the judgment of the Bureau, whose decision will be awaited.

Mr. Bratiano (Roumania) recognizes that everybody is willing to meet on the 27th of January for the purpose of naming Delegates, who will be able to begin work at once now that it is possible to examine questions of principle.

The President puts to the vote the proposal of the Bureau:-That the Delegates of the Powers with special interest should meet on the 27th of January at 15 o'clock (3 p. m.) to elect representatives. This proposal is adopted.

(See Annex 6 for the minutes of the Session, of January 27, and Annex 7 for the list of the members of the five Commissions.) The President asks those members of the Conference who have declarations to make regarding the Delegates to be so good as to present them to the Bureau.

The Session is adjourned at 18.10 o'clock (6.10 p. m.). P. Dutasta,

Secretary General.

G. Clemenceau,

J. C. Grew,

President

M. P. A. Hankey,
Paul Gauthier,

Aldrovandi,

Sadao Saburi,

Secretaries