434    THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE, 1 9 1 9, VOLUME V


impossible terms. He, himself, hoped that Italy might still be willing
to accept the compromise that he had proposed, namely, that Fiume
should remain an absolutely free port; that they should evacuate
Dalmatia, perhaps with some provision for free cities; and that they
would take the Islands.
M. CLEMENCEAU doubted if this was possible.
(The Meeting then adjourned to the room upstairs for the Meeting
on Cables, reported in the other series of Minutes.) 6
VILLA MAJESTIC, PARIS, May 3, 1919.
Appendix I to IC-180A
[Draft by Mr. Malkin, British Legal Expert, of a Communication
To Be Sent to the Italian Government]
The French and British Governments have been loyally endeavoring
to carry out the provision of the Pact of London under which the
signatories agreed not to conclude a separate peace. For several
months discussions have been proceeding with the object of reaching
an agreement as to the terms on which peace could be made in common.
The action of the Italian representatives in withdrawing from these
discussions, if persisted in, obviously makes it impossible for peace
to be concluded in common; it renders the fulfilment of the promise
in question by the French and British Governments impossible, and
constitutes a breach by the Italian Government of the Pact of
London.
Appendix II to IC-180A
[Draft by Mr. Balfour of a Communication To Be Sent to the Italian
Government]
We are not sure that you fully realize the serious effects on the unity
of the Allies and the settlement of Europe which must be produced by
your absence from Versailles while peace with Germany is being ar-
ranged. It is true that we have no suggestion to make about Fiume,
and the Adriatic, beyond those with which you are already acquainted.
But these problems are not directly connected with the conclusion of
peace with Germany, and their solution, if a solution is possible, will
certainly not be hindered by the presence of Italian plenipotentiaries
at Versailles. On the other hand, if Italy refuses her concurrence and
cooperation she will not only be in our opinion violating the Pact of
London, but she will be taking a step which will render future unity
of action a matter of the extremest difficulty. To us such a result
seems little short of disaster to civilization.
'I-180B, p. 437.