736     THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE, 1919, VOLUME V
MR. LLoYD GEORGE agreed, and said it could be done in either of
two ways:-
(1) By a formal dispatch;
2) By summoning the representatives of the various Russian
groups now in Paris and putting the conditions to them.
PRESIDENT WILSON preferred the first proposal. The second would be
contrary to the idea that had been at the basis of the Prinkipo scheme,
namely, that it would not be fair to hear one party without hearing
the other. His view was that a formal demand and notice ought to
be sent to the various Russian groups. He had himself sent something
that was almost equivalent to this, as he felt he was entitled to do.
(After some discussion it was agreed that Mr. Philip Kerr 5 should
be asked to prepare a draft for the consideration of the Council.)
Mr. Kerr was sent for. While awaiting Mr. Kerr
PRESIDENT WILSON read extracts from a document which had been
alluded to at a discussion on the previous day, signed by M. Kerensky
and some of his friends, and which contained a number of proposals,
including the following:-
(i) That the Powers should only help the various Russian groups
on certain fundamental conditions for the establishing of Russia on
a democratic basis with a constituent assembly, and Governments
which declined to agree should not be supported.
(ii) That as a Constituent Assembly could clearly not be called at
the present time, Regional Assemblies should be elected on a demo-
cratic basis for the re-establishment of Local Government.
(iii) That a representative mission should be sent by the Great
Powers to Russia to give assurance of sympathy and assistance.
(iv) That proposals for supplying food were harmful.
These proposals in short, President Wilson continued, were that
the Powers should obtain an assurance from each group that it would
be united with the other groups to form an all Russian Government
on a constituent basis, and that in the meantime each group should
do what it could in its own area.
MR. LLOYD GEORGE was afraid of splitting up Russia.
PRESIDENT WILSON said it was merely proposing to substitute a
democratic for an autocratic basis.
(After some further discussion Mr. Kerr entered.)
PRESIDENT WILSON informed Mr. Kerr that the Council desired to
make a further effort with Russia along the lines of definite assurance
to the several groups as to what they were aiming at. They had been
reading a document prepared by certain Russian groups in Paris who,
though anti-Bolshevist, were suspicious of reactionary tendencies
among the groups fighting the Bolshevists. These suggested that
pledges should be demanded from the various groups fighting the
6 Secretary to Lloyd George.