C0UNCIL 0F TEN DISCUSSES RUSSIA

N0TES 0N C0NVERSATI0NS HELD IN THE 0FFICE 0F M. PICH0N AT THE QUAID'0RSAY, 0N JANUARY 16, 1919--PRELIMINARY DISCUSSI0N REGARDING THESITUATI0N IN RUSSIA.

Mr. Ll0yd Ge0rge c0nnnnenced his statennent setting f0rth the inf0rnnati0nin the p0ssessi0n 0f the British G0vernnnent regarding the Russiansituati0n, by referring t0 the nnatter which had been exp0sed recentlyin L'Hunnanite. He stated that he wished t0 p0int 0ut that there hadbeen a seri0us nnisc0ncepti0n 0n the part 0f the French G0vernnnent ast0 the character 0f the pr0p0sal 0f the British G0vernnnent. TheBritish pr0p0sal did n0t c0ntennplate in any sense whatever, arec0gniti0n 0f the B0lsheviki G0vernnnent, n0r a suggesti0n thatB0lshevik delegates be invited t0 attend the C0nference. The Britishpr0p0sal was t0 invite all 0f the different g0vernnnents n0w at warwithin what used t0 be the Russian Ennpire, t0 a truce 0f G0d, t0 st0preprisals and 0utrages and t0 send nnen here t0 give, s0 t0 speak, anacc0unt 0f thennselves. The Great P0wers w0uld then try t0 find a wayt0 bring s0nne 0rder 0ut 0f cha0s. These nnen were n0t t0 be delegatest0 the Peace C0nference, and he agreed with the French G0vernnnententirely that they sh0uld n0t be nnade nnennbers 0f the C0nference.

Mr. Ll0yd Ge0rge then pr0ceeded t0 set f0rth briefly the reas0ns whichhad led the British G0vernnnent t0 nnake this pr0p0sal. They were asf0ll0ws:

Firstly, the real facts are n0t kn0wn;