In this it will be our chief task to reestablish the devastated vigor of mankind and of all the people who have taken part, by an international protection of life, health, and liberty of the working classes.

As our next aim I consider the reconstruction of the territories of Belgium and of northern France, which have been occupied by us and which have been destroyed by war.

To do so we have taken upon ourselves the solemn obligation, and we are resolved to execute it to the extent which will have been agreed upon between us. This task we can not do without the cooperation of our former adversaries. We can not accomplish the work without the technical and financial participation of the victorious peoples, and you can not execute it without us.

Impoverished Europe must desire that the reconstruction shall be fulfilled with the greatest success and with as little expense as is in any way possible. This desire can only be fulfilled by a clear understanding about the best methods to be employed. It would be the worst method to go on and have the work done by German prisoners of war. Certainly this work is cheap, but it would cost the world dear if hatred and despair shall seize the German people, when they consider that their brothers and sons and fathers, who are prisoners, are kept prisoners beyond the preliminary peace in the former penal work.

Without any immediate solution of this question, which has been drawn out too long, we can not come to a durable peace. Our experts of both sides will have to examine how the German people may come up to their financial obligations to repair without succumbing under the heavy burden. A crash would bereave those who have a right to repair of the advantages to which they have a claim and would draw after it an irretrievable disorder to the whole European economical system. The vanquishers, as well as the vanquished people, must guard against this menacing danger with its incalculable consequences. There is only one means of banishing it-unlimited confession of the economic and social solidarity of all peoples in a free and rising league of nations.

Gentlemen, the sublime thought to be derived from the most ter rible disaster in the history of mankind is the league of nations-the greatest progress in the development of mankind has been pronounced and will make its way. Only if the gates of the league of nations are thrown open to all who are of good will can the aim be attained, and only then the dead of this war will not have died in vain.

The German people in their hearts are ready to take upon themselves their heavy lot if the bases of peace which have been established are not any more shaken. The peace which may not be defended in the name of right before the world always calls forth new resistances against it. Nobody will be capable of subscribing to it with good conscience, for it will not be possible of fulfillment. Nobody could be able to take upon himself the guaranty of its execution which ought to lie in its signature.

We shall examine the document handed to us with good will and in the hope that the final result of our interview may be subscribed to by all of us.

M. CLEMENCEAU. Has anybody any more observations to offer? Does no one wish to speak? If not, the meeting is closed. (Thereupon, at 4.05 p. m., the meeting closed.)

III. EXCHANGE OF NOTES ON FIRST READING CONDITIONS OF

PEACE.

(A) THE PRESIDENT OF THE GERMAN PEACE DELEGATION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

GERMAN PEACE DELEGATION,

May 9, 1919.

Mr. PRESIDENT: The German peace delegation has finished the first. perusal of the peace conditions which have been handed over to them. They have had to realize that on essential points the basis of the peace of right agreed upon between the belligerents has been abandoned.

They were not prepared to find that the promise, explicitly given to the German people and the whole of mankind, is in this way to be rendered illusory. The draft of the treaty contains demands. which no nation could endure. Moreover, our experts hold that many of them could not possibly be carried out.

The German peace delegation will substantiate these statements in detail, and transmit to the allied and associated Governments their observations and their material continuously.

BROCKDORFF-RANTZAU.

(B) REPLY OF ALLIED AND ASSOCIATED GOVERNMENTS.

May 10, 1919. SIR: The representatives of the allied and associate powers have received the statement of objections of the German plenipotentiaries to the draft conditions of peace.

In reply they wish to remind the German delegation that they have formulated the terms of the treaty with constant thought of the principles on which the armistice and the negotiations for peace were proposed.

They can admit no discussion of their right to insist on the terms of the peace substantially as drafted. They can consider only such practical suggestions as the German plenipotentiaries may have to submit.

G. CLEMENCEAU, 13

IV. EXCHANGES OF NOTES ON THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

(A) THE PRESIDENT OF THE GERMAN PEACE DELEGATION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

[Translation.]

DEUTSCHE FRIEDENSDELEGATION,
Versailles, May 9, 1919.

SIR: The German peace delegation has the honor to pronounce its attitude on the question of a league of nations by herewith transmitting a German program which, in the opinion of the delegation, contains important suggestions on the league of nations problem. The German peace delegation reserves for itself the liberty of stating its opinion on the draft of the allied and associated Governments in detail.

In the meantime it begs to call attention to the discrepancy lying in the fact that Germany is called upon to sign the statute of the league of nations as an inherent part of the treaty draft handed to us; on the other hand is not mentioned among the States which are invited to join the league of nations. The German peace delegation begs to inquire whether, and, if so, under what circumstances, such invitation is intended.

Accept, sir, the expression of my highest consideration.

BROCKDORFF-RANTZAU.

[Inclosure.]

SCHEME FOR A LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

[Translation from The New Europe, May 15 and 22, 1919.]

1. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES.

1. The league of nations shall, by means of compulsory arbitration in international disputes without resort to force of arms, lay the foundation of lasting peace between its members upon the moral force of right, and shall serve the spiritual and material progress of humanity by way of international cooperation. The league shall be permanent and shall constitute a united body for common defense against external aggression. The members shall guarantee one another's territorial integrity and shall refrain from interference in each other's domestic affairs.

2. The especial objects of the league of nations are (a) prevention of international disputes, (b) disarmament, (c) assurance of free commercial relations and of general economic equality, (d) protection of national minorities, (e) creation of an international labor charter,

(f) regulation of colonial matters, (g) coordination of existing and future international institutions, (h) creation of a world parliament. 3. The league of nations shall comprise (a) all belligerent States, including those which have arisen during the war, (b) all neutral States which were formerly connected with The Hague arbitration league, (c) all other States admitted by consent of two-thirds of the existing members of the league. Membership of the league of nations. shall be open to the papacy.

4. The members pledge themselves to conclude no private treaty which is at variance with the objects of the league, and to enter into no secret engagements whatever. Any such existing treaties shall be dissolved.

Secret treaties shall be null and void.

II. CONSTITUTION.

5. The organs of the league of nations shall be (a) the congress of States, (b) the world parliament, (c) the permanent international tribunal, (d) the international board of mediation, (e) the international administrative boards, (f) the chancellery.

A. THE CONGRESS OF STATES.

6. The congress of States shall be the assembly of the representa-. tives of the league of nations. Each State shall have from one to three representatives; the representatives of each State may only vote unanimously.

7. The congress shall meet at least once in every three years.

8. The congress shall conduct the business of the league of nations in so far as it is not delegated to other bodies. The congress. shall elect at its first meeting a standing committee, which shall conduct business in the intervals between the meetings of the congress..

9. The decisions of the congress, in so far as is not otherwise provided by the treaty, shall be made by a majority of two-thirds of the States represented. Otherwise the congress shall itself determine its procedure.

B. THE WORLD PARLIAMENT.

10. The first world parliament shall be composed of representatives of the several parliaments of the States belonging to the league. Each individual parliament shall elect 1 delegate for every million inhabitants of the State it represents, but no parliament may send more than 10 representatives.

11. The future composition of the world parliament shall be determined by the world parliament itself, with the assent of the congress. of States.

12. The sanction of the world parliament shall be requisite for (a) alteration in the constitution of the league, (b) the establishment of generally valid international legal standards, (c) the appointment of new officials of the league, (d) the determination of the budget of the league.

In these matters the world parliament shall also have the right of initiative.

13. The world parliament shall meet simultaneously with the congress of States. Otherwise it shall regulate its own procedure.

C. THE PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL.

14. The international tribunal shall be elected by the congress of States for a period of nine years, in the following manner:

Each State shall propose at least one and not more than four persons, who are fit and ready to assume the office of judge.

One, at least, of the nominees shall not be a subject of the nominating State.

Each State shall name 15 persons out of the list of nominees; the 15 persons who receive the highest number of votes shall be elected judges. When judges vacate their posts their places shall be taken by those persons who received the next highest number of votes, in the order of the number of votes received.

15. The decisions of the tribunal shall be given by a bench of three members, of whom each party shall elect one. In case the parties do not agree in their choice of chairman, the chairman shall be nominated by the tribunal in plenary session.

D. THE INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF MEDIATION,

16. Each State shall nominate for the international board of mediation four electors in whom it has confidence. The electors shall meet together and elect by a majority of votes the 15 members of the board of mediation, as well as 10 substitutes, whose order of succession shall be determined in the election.

17. The decisions of the board of mediation shall be given by bench of five members, of whom each party shall select two. In case the parties fail to agree in their choice of a chairman, the chairman shall be nominated by the board of mediation in plenary session.

18. The members of the board of mediation may neither be in the active service of the State to which they belong nor may they be simultaneously members of any other body of the league of nations. They shall reside at the seat of the league of nations.

E. THE INTERNATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE BOARDS.

19. The league of nations shall promote all efforts toward the coordination of the common interests of the nations, and shall work for the extension of existing and the creation of new international institutions. This applies especially to the spheres of law, economics. and finance.

20. Unions already in existence shall as far as possible be affiliated to the league of nations.

21. All international bureaus, already instituted by collective treaties shall, if the contracting parties consent, be placed under the supervision of the league.

22. All international bureaus which shall be instituted in future shall be under the supervision of the league.

F. THE CHANCELLERY OF THE LEAGUE.

23. The officials of the chancellery shall be nominated by the standing committee of the congress of States, and be under its supervision.