628     THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE, 1919, VOLUME V


would have to be considered, not only in regard to Austria, but also in
reference to all the new little States which might be formed. Should it
be decided that each of these little States, including Roumania,
Czecho-Slovakia, Jugo-Slavia, were each to be allowed to maintain
comparatively large Armies, nothing would keep them from going to
war with one another. On the other hand, should Austria and Hun-
gary be allowed to maintain Armies, whilst the other little States
were prevented from doing so, the former would always intervene
and so cause serious disturbances. This process could be seen at work
at the present moment.
M. CLEMENCEAU intervening remarked that these States were still
at war.
MR. LLOYD GEORGE replied that the little States he referred to were
not actually at war with each other; they were supposed to be on
friendly terms. Nevertheless the Poles and Ukrainians. the Poles and
Czecho-Slovaks. were actually flying at each other's throats. In his
opinion, it was essential that the Council should lay down definite
principles in regard to armaments, which would be applied to Aus-
tria. Hungary and all adjoining States.
Two alternative texts of Article 2 of the draft military clauses had
been submitted by the Military Advisers. The great difference
between the two proposals lay in the fact that the American-British
proposal made for a small Army; whereas the French-Italian pro-
posal meant, in application, the creation in a very short time of a great
Army, which could be organised for war purposes by the Germans.
For this reason alone, he strongly supported the American-British
proposal.
It was imperative that the Council should now do all that lay in
their power to prevent these big Armies, which would practically be
directed by German brains, from springing up again. Experience had
proved that in reality very little difference in fighting value existed
between soldiers whose military training had extended over a period
of twelve months and those whose training had extended over a
period of two or three years. Obviously, the former were not as good
as the latter, but they had been found to be quite good enough to
give a good account of themselves, whenever they met the Germans.
M. CLEMENCEAU presumed that for the moment Mr. Lloyd George's
remarks applied only to Austria and Hungary, and not to the other
adjoining States.
PRESIDENT WILSON remarked that he personally had taken it for
granted all along that the size of the Armies would be restricted.
M. CLEMENCEAtI, continuing, said that if the Council was discussing
Austria, he would urge that the size of that Army should be so fixed
as to bear the same ratio to the figures of population, as had been