THE COUNCIL OF FOUR


369


SIR MAURICE HANKEY said, as he was the only official present he
thought he ought to put the point of view of the officials. The Draft-
ing Committee was so overworked in bringing out the German Treaty
that he felt confident they could not possibly prepare the Austrian
Treaty in so short a time.
PRESIDENT WILSON said that it was only proposed to discuss the
lines of the Treaty with the Austrians. It would not be necessary
to present them with a complete Treaty. He pointed out that the
Hungarian de facto Government was hardly more than a local Gov-
ernment. By inviting them we should run the risk of our publics
regarding them as a people in close intercourse with the Russian
Soviets.
MR. LLOYD GEORGE said they had committed no atrocities. He was
reminded, however, by Sir Maurice Hankey of a recent telegram
to the effect that 200 Bourgeois had been killed in Buda Pest, though
he could not vouch for its truth.
PRESIDENT WILSON said that many people had been rather alarmed
at General Smuts' visit. He thought that the boundaries could be
determined without consulting the Hungarians. They would not be
on quite the same footing as the Austrians.
M. CLEMENCEAu asked what was to be done with the Austrians and
Hungarians after their views had been heard? Were they to be
left free to move about in Paris? Meanwhile, the Germans might
give a good deal of work.
PRESIDENT WILSON suggested that the Austrians and Hungarians
should be sent somewhere outside Paris. For example, Fontainebleau.
M. CLEMENCEAu said Chantilly would be the best place.
PRESIDENT WILSON agreed that this would be more prudent than
Paris. -He said that the immediate object of this proposal was the
moral effect that would be produced on the Austrian people by in-
viting their representatives for consultation. He read a letter from
his four colleagues on the American Delegation urging this course.
MR. LLOYD GEORGE urged that there should be no differentiation be-
tween Austrians and Hungarians. He did not see why because the
Hungarians were called the Soviet they should not be met. A work-
men's Government had just as much right to be dealt with as any
other.
M. CLEMENCEAU suggested that as the Hungarians and Austrians
were somewhat hostile to one another, it would be necessary to house
them separately.
(It was agreed that M. Clemenceau, as President of the Preliminary
Peace Conference, should invite the representatives of the Austrian
and Hungarian Governments to come to Chantilly on May 12th.)