Friday, 10th May

PARIS

Attended luncheon at the M of FA given in honour of the American Mission. Found myself sitting next one of the women from the Mission who had originally come from Lancashire.

4 o'c. Had interview with M. Pichon on 3 subjects.

(1) Question of exchange of French and German prisoners. Found treaty had already been ratified. I protested most strongly but M. Pichon said they had been forced to do it by the Country who insisted on this return of prisoners. He disputed the effect of such exchange which the English Government had put as being equivalent to 12 Divisions and as the French were responsible for the rate at which the exchange was made gave me an assurance that the rate of 8,000 per month should not be exceeded. I gave him to understand pretty clearly that I thought it was a direct breach of faith with the English Government which might very easily have serious consequences and I told him I must have a definite assurance in writing that the 8,000 would not be exceeded. He promised me that this should be done.

(2) I also handed him a Memorandum stating the Government's policy with regard to the Bolshevists. Asked him to kindly let me have in return a statement of his Government's views. He gave me very clearly to understand that he would have nothing whatever to do with Trotsky; that he was in favour of immediate Japanese intervention but of course it could not be done unless Russia agreed. The question as to whether the Japanese were invited or not by Trotsky to intervene did not in any way affect him as he was certain Trotsky was nothing but a German agent.

I gave him a copy of Lockhart's telegram conveying the resolutions which were supposed to have been passed by all the Military representatives as conditions under which such interventions should take place. He had never seen them before. They had not been telegraphed by his Government's Military representative. He promised to telegraph them out to Russia and to ask whether their Military Representative agreed with them.