THE RUE ROyale on the Arrival of President WILSON 48 Photograph by Signal Corps, U.S.A. THE AMERICAN PEACE DELEGATION AND STAFF 94 Photograph by Signal Corps, U.S.A. A MEETING AT THE QUAI D'ORSAY AFTER President WILSON'S 134 FACSIMILE OF MR. LANSING'S "FULL POWERS" TO NEGO- 182 THE DAILY CONFERENCE of the AMERICAN PEACE COMMIS SION 256 Photograph by Isabey, Paris CHRONOLOGY The Declaration of the Fourteen Points Declaration of Four Additional Bases of Peace President on Supreme War Council Signature of Armistice, 5 A.M.; effective, II A.M. January 18, 1918 February 11, 1918 October 17, 1918 November 11, 1918 January 25, 1919 tions was Submitted February 14, 1919 February 14, 1919 February 24, 1919 Plenary Session at which Report on the League of Na Departure of President from Paris for United States President lands at Boston Departure of President from New York for France Organization of Council of Four President's public statement in regard to Fiume March 5, 1919 March 14, 1919 About March 24, 1919 Adoption of Commission's Report on League of Na April 23, 1919 tions by the Conference April 28, 1919 The Shantung Settlement April 30, 1919 Delivery of the Peace Treaty to the German Plenipotentiaries May 7, 1919 Signing of Treaty of Versailles Signing of Treaty of Assistance with France Departure of Mr. Lansing from Paris for United July 12, 1919 August 6, 1919 Hearing of Mr. Lansing before Senate Committee on Conference of Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Hearing of Mr. Bullitt before Senate Committee on Return of President to Washington from tour of West THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS CHAPTER I REASONS FOR WRITING A PERSONAL NARRATIVE "WHILE we were still in Paris, I felt, and have felt increasingly ever since, that you accepted my guidance and direction on questions with regard to which I had to instruct you only with increasing reluctance. . . 66 I must say that it would relieve me of embarrassment, Mr. Secretary, the embarrassment of feeling your reluctance and divergence of judgment, if you would give your present office up and afford me an opportunity to select some one whose mind would more willingly go along with mine." These words are taken from the letter which President Wilson wrote to me on February 11, 1920. On the following day I tendered my resignation as Secretary of State by a letter, in which I said: "Ever since January, 1919, I have been conscious of the fact that you no longer were disposed to welcome my advice in matters pertaining to the negotiations in Paris, to our foreign service, or to international affairs in general. Holding these views I would, if I had consulted my personal inclination alone, have resigned as Secretary of State and as a Commissioner to Negotiate Peace. I felt, however, that such a step might have been misinterpreted both at home and abroad, and that it was my duty to cause you no embarrassment in carrying forward the great task in which you were then engaged." |