college professors and bankers and men who were familiar with ethnical and geographical and financial and business questions. Each question was referred to a joint commission consisting of the specialists in that field representing the principal allied and associated powers. They made a report to this smaller council, and in every instance the American representatives were under instructions to keep out of actual participation in these processes so far as it was honorably possible to do so.

Senator NEW. The second half of the question is this: What did the American delegates do to secure nonparticipation by the United States in the reparations commission?

The PRESIDENT. Why, we were disinclined to join in that, but yielded to the urgent request of the other nations that we should, because they wanted our advice and counsel.

Senator NEW. What agreement, written or verbal, has been entered into by the American delegates touching the assignment to various States of mandatories under the provisions of article 22? The PRESIDENT. None whatever.

Senator NEW. If it be understood that Great Britain or her dominions will act as mandatories of the territory in Africa lately held by Germany, what advantage of a practical nature is expected to accrue, and whom will it benefit, from subjecting the British or dominion administration to the mandatories of such nations as Liberia, Italy, or any others?

The PRESIDENT. Mandatories of Liberia ?

Senator NEW. Yes.

The PRESIDENT. I do not understand, Senator. The whole system of mandates is intended for the development and protection of the territories to which they apply that is to say, to protect their inhabitants, to assist their development under the operation of the opinion of the world, and to lead to their ultimate independent existence.

Senator NEW. Mr. President, it seems that there is more than a suspicion; there is a general conviction in the world, I think, that Germany is promoting the dissemination of Bolshevist propaganda in the countries of the Allies, including the United States. That being the case, I am prompted to ask what provision in the treaty obligates Germany to prohibit Bolshevik propaganda from German sources in the United States and allied countries?

The PRESIDENT. None.

Senator NEW. No provision? Was any proposal considered by the peace conference directed toward securing the names of German propaganda agents in the United States and the allied countries, or to obtain the records of the disbursements made in support of Bolshevik or other propaganda intended to weaken or disrupt the United States?

The PRESIDENT. We made every effort to trace everything that we got rumor of, Senator; and traced everything that we could; but no provisions were feasible in the treaty itself touching that.

Senator NEW. Did not France yield under pressure at least partly exerted by the American delegates to abandon certain guaranties of the security of her German frontiers which she had been advised by Marshal Foch were indispensable; and is not the present frontier, in French military opinion, less secure than the one which France was induced to abandon?

The PRESIDENT. Senator, do you think I ought to redebate here the fundamental questions that we debated at Paris? I think that would be a mistake, sir.

Senator JOHNSON of California. Mr. President, it is on that very theory that I refrained from asking many of those things, the thoughts of which crowd one's mind, and which one would like to ask.

The PRESIDENT. Of course. You see, you are going into the method. by which the treaty was negotiated. Now, with all respect, sir, I think that is a territory that we ought not to enter.

Senator NEW. Of course, if there is any reason why it should not be answered, I will withdraw it. Is there objection to answering this, Mr. President: What was France's solution proposed for administration of the Saar Basin?

The PRESIDENT. I do not think I ought to answer those questions. Senator, because of course they affect the policy and urgency of other Governments. I am not at liberty to go into that.

Senator NEW. Mr. President, would our position in the War of 1812 and the Spanish-American War have been secure under the league covenant?

The PRESIDENT. Oh, Senator, you can judge of that as well as I could. I have tried to be a historical student, but I could not quite get the league back into those days clearly enough in my mind to form a judgment.

Senator NEW. What would have been the procedure under the covenant in those two cases, in your opinion?

The PRESIDENT. Why, Senator, I could figure that out if you gave me half a day, because I would have to refresh my mind as to the circumstances that brought on the wars; but that has not been regarded as a profitable historical exercise-hypothetically to reconstruct history.

Senator NEW. Well, I do not want to press for answers, then. Senator MOSES. Mr. President, under the terms of the treaty. Germany cedes to the principal allied and associated powers all of her overseas possessions?

The PRESIDENT. Yes.

Senator MOSES. We thereby, as I view it, become possessed in fee of an undivided fifth part of those possessions.

The PRESIDENT. Only as one of five trustees, Senator. There is no thought in any mind of sovereignty.

Senator MOSES. Such possession as we acquire by means of that cession would have to be disposed of by congressional action. The PRESIDENT. I have not thought about that at all.

Senator MOSES. You have no plan to suggest or recommendation to make to Congress?

The PRESIDENT. Not yet, sir; I am waiting until the treaty is disposed of.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. President, I do not wish to interfere in any way, but the conference has now lasted about three hours and a half, and it is half an hour after the lunch hour.

The PRESIDENT. Will not you gentlemen take luncheon with me? It will be very delightful.

(Thereupon, at 1 o'clock and 35 minutes p. m., the conference adjourned.)

(The questions submitted by Senator Fall, above referred to, and the replies of the President are here printed, as follows:)

QUESTIONS ASKED BY SENATOR FALL AND REPLIES BY PRESIDENT WILSON.

QUESTIONS BY SENATOR FALL.

"1. In your judgment, have you not the power and authority, by a proclamation, to declare in appropriate words that peace exists and thus restore the status of peace between the Governments and peoples of this country and those with whom we declared war?

"2. Could not, in any event, the power which declared war-that is, Congressjoined by the President, as you affixed your approval of the declaration of war, by a resolution, or act of Congress, declare peace, as Germany did not declare war upon

us?

"3. Is not the pending treaty, aside from the league covenant, merely a set of agreed rules and regulations to be observed after peace is established, and is not the state of war terminated merely by the filing of the first process verbal?

"4. The state of war being thus terminated by the filing of the process verbal, although we may not yet have ratified the treaty, Germany not having declared war upon us, could you not appoint or reappoint consular officers and agents in Germany, and by a proclamation of the status of peace authorize our citizens and without further delay resume governmental relations with Germany, and would we not then be off of a war basis as to business?

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LEAGUE.

"5. The agreement of the signatories to the treaty is that 'from the coming into force of the present treaty the state of war will terminate.'

"And under article 440 it is provided that as soon as the treaty shall have been ratified by Germany on the one hand and by three of the principal allied and associated powers on the other hand the first procès verbal of the deposit of ratification will be drawn, and 'from the date of this first procès verbal the treaty will come into force between the high contracting parties who have ratified it.'

"Am I correct in assuming:

"(a) That when three of the principal allied powers shall have ratified the treaty with Germany and the procès verbal is filed the league of nations is then established? "(b) That all the other provisions of the treaty with Germany are in full force to such ratifying powers?

(c) That as to the two remaining powers, should they not have ratified it (the one being the associated power, the United States), 'the state of war will terminate,' although the particular terms of the treaty itself will not be in force as to such nonratifying powers?

"(d) That such last powers will not be members of the league until and unless thereafter they have either ratified the treaty and the league articles or shall have been otherwise accepted into the league under the provisions of the league articles as they now stand or as they may be in force at the time of admission?

"6. However desirable it might be to have the treaty immediately adopted with the articles of the covenant of the league as written, by what process will this, in view of your statement as to largely increased export within the near future or within one or two more years, reduce in this country the rentals, cost of necessaries, etc.?

"LICENSES FOR EVERY TRADE.

"7. Have you heard from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, and Switzerland, or either, as to whether they will join the league, and when?

"8. Are you issuing, or allowing to be issued, en bloc or otherwise, licenses to do business with those recently our enemies, and are you allowing ships and cargoes destined to ports of Germany or other recent enemy ports to clear from our ports?

"9. Have you requested consular representatives of other countries to act for us in Germany?

"10. Among the documents forwarded on the 8th instant to the chairman of the committee, by yourself, under No. 6, following the final report of the commission upon the league articles, I find the following recommendations: 'Resolved, That in the opinion of the commission the president of the commission should be requested by the conference to invite seven powers, including two neutrals, to name representatives on a committee (a) to prepare plans for the organization of the league; (b) to prepare plans for the establishment of the seat of the league; (c) to prepare plans and the agenda for the first meeting of the assembly.'

"Was this committee appointed, and have they reported tentatively to the commission or to yourself, and, if so, is a copy of such report available?

"QUESTIONS AS TO TERRITORY.

"11. Under article 18, of the peace treaty, part 4, there is a general renunciation of all German rights to territory formerly belonging to herself or to her allies and a renunciation of all her rights, titles, and priviliges outside of her boundaries as fixed by the treaty which she held as against the allied and associated powers. There is no cession, apparently, of the territory to any particular power or association of powers, but there is an understanding on the part of Germany to recognize and conform to the measures which may be taken 'now, or in the future by the principal allied and associated powers in agreement, where necessary, with third powers in order to carry the above stipulation into effect.'

"To what nation or nations or association of nations does the territory renounced under this article go, aside from such portions as are specifically assigned to certain nations or plebiscite commissions by the particular article of the German treaty, and by what character of title and what part, if any, does the United States take or has she taken with reference to the disposition of such property?

"12. Article 119, section 1, of Part IV, reads:

"Germany renounces in favor of the principal allied and associated powers all her rights and titles over her overseas possessions.'

"This appears to be a direct cession of the German overseas possessions to the prin cipal allied and associated powers; of course, the United States being an associated power, what character of title does the United States receive to any part of the overseas possessions ceded by Germany through article 119?

"SAAR BASIN'S DISPOSITION.

"13. Has there as yet been any agreement, tentative or otherwise, as to the disposition or the government of such overseas possessions or any part of same to which the United States is a party?

"14. Will you inform the committee whether, through an agreement between France and Great Britain, any disposition or agreement for the disposition of all or any part of the German overseas possessions in Africa has been arrived at and if so. whether the United States has, tentatively or otherwise, consented thereto, and whether possession has been taken by either France or Great Britain of any such German territory by any such agreement or tentative agreement?

"15. Was it or is it now contemplated that, of the commission composed of five members to be chosen by the council of the league of nations for the government of the Saar Basin, one of said commission to be a citizen of France, one a native of the Saar Basin and not a native of France, and the three other members belonging to three countries other than France or Germany, there should be one American commissioner among the membership of five; and if so, why is it necessary that America should be represented upon this commission?

"16. Why should the United States be represented by one member of the commission for the settling of the new frontier lines of Belgium and Germany under articles under sections 34 and 35?

"17. As article 48 of the treaty provides for a boundary commission for the Saar Basin, to be composed of five members, one to be appointed directly by France and one directly by Germany, why was it not provided that the other three be nationals of other powers? Should each be named in the article to be appointed by some par ticular country, as is done with reference to the other two, rather than to leave the selection of such three to the council of the league of nations with the restrictive provisions that the said three should be selected from nationals of other powers than France and Germany?

66 SETTLEMENT OF BOUNDARY DISPUTES.

"18. Why was it necessary to provide in article 83 that of the commission of seven members to fix the boundaries between Poland and the Czecho-Slovak State, one should be named by Poland, one by such Czecho-Slovak State, and the other five named by the five allied and associated powers, rather than that certain countries, specifically named, should nominate the five as well as the two?

"19. Has such commission been appointed, tentatively or otherwise, and has it proceeded to the performance of any of its duties, either in a temporary manner or otherwise?

"20. Why was it necessary to form a commission of four members, one to be designated by each the United States, France, the British Empire, and Italy, to exercise authority over the plebiscite area of Upper Silesia: that is to say, why was it necessary to name the United States as one of the powers which should appoint one of the four commissioners and then leave the decision of such commission to a majority vote?"

THE REPLY OF THE PRESIDENT.

"MY DEAR SENATOR FALL: You left yesterday in my hands certain written questions which I promised you I would answer. I am hastening to fulfill that promise. "I feel constrained to say in reply to your first question not only that in my judgment I have not the power by proclamation to declare that peace exists, but that I could in no circumstances consent to take such a course prior to the ratification of a formal treaty of peace.

"I feel it due to perfect frankness to say that it would, in my poinion, put a stain upon our national honor which we never could efface, if after sending our men to the battlefield to fight the common cause, we should abandon our associates in the war in the settlement of the terms of peace and dissociate ourselves from all responsibility with regard to those terms.

"I respectfully suggest that, having said this, I have in effect answered also your second, third, and fourth questions, so far as I myself am concerned.

"Permit me to answer your fifth question by saying that the provisions of the treaty to which you refer operate merely to establish peace between the powers ratifying and that it is questionable whether it can be said that the league of nations is in any true sense created by the association of only three of the allied and associated gov

ernments.

"WOULD REDUCE COST OF LIVING."

"In reply to your sixth question, I can only express the confident opinion that the immediate adoption of the treaty, along with the articles of the covenant of the league as written, would certainly within the near future reduce the cost of living in this country as elsewhere, by restoring production and commerce to their normal strength and freedom.

"For your convenience, I will number the remaining paragraphs of this letter as the questions to which they are intended to reply are numbered.

7. I have had no official information as to whether Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, or Switzerland will join the league.

8. I answered your eighth question in reply to a question asked me at our conference the other day.

9. In February, 1917, Spain was requested to take charge of American interests in Germany through her diplomatic and consular representatives, and no other arrangement has since been made.

10. The committee to prepare plans for the organization of the league, for the establishment of the seat of the league, and for the procedure of the first meeting of the assembly has been appointed, but has not reported.

11. Article 118 of the peace treaty, part 4, under which Germany renounces all her rights to territory formerly belonging to herself or to her allies, was understood, so far as special provision was not made in the treaty itself for its disposition, as constituting the principal allied and associated powers the authority by which such disposition should ultimately be determined. It conveys no title to those powers, but merely intrusts the disposition of the territory in question to their decision.

"TRUSTEESHIP FOR COLONIES.

"12. Germany's renunciation in favor of the principal allied and associated powers of her rights and titles to her overseas possessions is meant similarly to operate as vesting in these powers a trusteeship with respect of their final disposition and government.

"13. There has been a provisional agreement as to the disposition of these overseas possessions, whose confirmation and execution is dependent upon the approval of the league of nations, and the United States is a party to that provisional agreement. "14. The only agreement between France and Great Britain with regard to African territory of which I am cognizant concerns the redisposition of rights already possessed by those countries on that continent. The provisional agreement referred to in the preceding paragraph covers all the German overseas possessions in Africa as well as elsewhere.

15. No mention was made in connection with the settlement of the Saar Basin of the service of an American member of the commission of five to be set up there.