Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/269/1 - 1918 - 1936 - Part 3

16 Dec.  Watt warns WMH of Japanese demands in China &
2 demands durg war.
27 Dec.  W to H.  Austlias costs of war sent to S. of S. on Dec 9 & 13.
Infn re ships & damage to be sent later.
Naval authies say no extensive G. Naval prepns found
in NG or Sols.  Only long coaling wharf at Rabaul.
3 Jan.  Watt to WMH.  re treatment of natives, additional.
Atrocity records scanty but Gs didnt show gt regard for
life on punitive expedns  Flogging of natives ws ^ genly permitted
to any planter or employer.  Brit Admin. limits this
to cases ordd by Govt Offl after inqy, & to 20 strokes.
Admind repts tt Gs genly respected rights &
customs of natives, & these speak "v. well indeed" of many
German officials. G. admn genly ws "v. good" tho'
indivl planters may have bn unduly harsh.
No infn ^ available as to stirring trouble among natives
or selling liquor.  No evidence of naval or milty
prepns docks or wharves excats or of their contemplation.
Natives not mental capacity to formulate ideas
of own Govt.  As long as protected and fed they are
indifft as to who governs them.
Infn available does not show tt Gs were guilty
of harsh & unnecy cruelty in their dealings w natives.
27 Jan.  H to W.  26 Jany.  Confce discd G. Cols on Frid. "I put case
for Aust. xx strongly as I cd.  Procedure curious & disapptg.
Cook not called in."  No discn.
Wilson is trouble - 25 Jan Borden, Botha, Massey, Hughes
met - all spoke strongly exc. Borden.  Botha sd wdnt accept even
if SA mandatory.  M & H agreed to stand.
Idea of young free community struggling to secure
its safety appeals to Wilson  All powers - exc. Wilson - wd
suppt.  Hughes asks for (1) strong statemnt by Watt in Press
(2) Demonstrns in Melb & Syd on
Monday & strong resolns passed
28 Jan.  H to W.  Cth Govt strongly objs to restorn of G. control, & to Internatl control.
Shd be either Brit. or Aust.  No ambn for terry but insurance
Aust. Axx Aust boasts it will be gn opporty to prove safegd its
future & to prove its capy of adming this gt treat.
29 Jan.  H to W.  Yesty met all day dealing w G. Cols.
In mg Cabinet agreed not to accept mandaty principle for Cols.
After lunch Wilson threatened return home (build by Navy)
unless mandatory princ. accepted for all cols captd.  Mandatories
to be appld by L of N.  Mandate will include open door for
men as well as goods.  Brit reprns acceptd principle.
I cd not speak but later told H.Q. it wd not be acceptable
to aust - meant end of White Aust & trade. Jan 29 anor

Cabt mtg, rather stormy.
"I strongly urged our claim. Stated tt White Austlia
policy in danger. Compromise ultimately suggd wh, altho'
some improvt on other, rests on mandatory principle,
but it does provide tt on mainland of N.G. White Aust
policy & all our laws shall have same effect as in Aust.
Matter to be decided tomorrow.  Botha, Massey, & I
meet at once.  But ^ as LI.G. told us plainly tt Gt Britain
could not & would not support any further, we seem
to have no alternative.  We have now to decide whether
we are to act directly agst LI.G. & accept full responsibility
for all consequences without Brit Navy or any help,
or try get best terms possible."
H to W.  30 Jan.  recd 9 am 31 Jan.
Brit. delegates decided definitely not to suppt our claim to
direct control.  LI.G. stated to me this mg tt Brit delegates or
Navy wd not suppt Australia in any attempt to secure ct.
(Tells of Latham's "C" clause - in effect)
To be put to Wilson at Confce tomorrow.  He may accept or not.
In any case if W. does accept he wont agree to appt of mandatories
exc by L of N.  He wont agree to delare who are mandatories
or what is mandates but will only agree make gentleman's agrt.
Botha Massey & H. discussed sitn, bitterly disptd, but felt
tt, being abandoned by Brit delegates, must agree if Govts approve.
Gravest danger of sacrifice of Austln ints thro acceptce of Ws
14 pts.
Asks Watt not to agree unless
(1) forwith apptd mandaty or get writing
to tt effect.
(2) Mandate gives complete control
over immign, trade, tariff of NG & the
principal adjacent Is.
Asks for rush reply.
W to H  31 Jan.  Cabt Considd both last tels togr. ^ "Share your Bitter disapptnt"
Sitn & prospects "fraught w / gravest possibilities to / people of
this country."  Forced by threat of complete isolation.  Future ^ of Aust apptly left in
condn of grave doubt. Asks H. to stress this to leaders.
"If this full trusteeship is impossible, then any mandate shd specify
publicly & definitely tt / control of immigrn, tariff, & trade matters
shd be gn to / adming authy. The most impt of these is immigrn."
Surely America will sympathise.
Hughes tel. Jan 30 "indicatns tt Botha, Massey, & yourself,
after discn, agreed to accept inevitable if their Govts approved. You
are best judge as to whether it is inevitable." Hoped he wd
press for reconsidn & settlement more acceptable to our people.
Recognise "splendid fight you are putting
up" but want no damage to
relns w US & Engld. 

31 Jan. evg.
H to W.  Discn resumed mg 30^th & contd all day.  Hughes notified
LI.G. in writing before session tt he cd not assent to LI G's compromise
unless & until his Govt wh he had consulted had commd w him,
& asked him to make this clear, wh he did
H. sd Aust cdnt agree unless she knew definitely where she was
& her ints safegdd by power being made mandaty & powrs gn to
apply own laws.
Wils. sd cdnt tell Aust she wd be mandy or what condns wd be.
H sd this cdnt be accepted by Aust. & urged Confce shd settle pts.
LI.G. sd he despaired . . . .
Wilson asked point blank if max concession.
H. sd it was & we shd be apptd mandty forthwith. If this done then subj to
assent of Govt he wd agree.
No assurances gn but as result of discn and expn of views of
Italy, Fr, Jap, Brit  ^now no doubt tt (1) we shall be mandaty
(2) our laws will operate.
Propls were accepted by Confce.
Fought but Brit. wdnt suppt. but put in a condn ["C"] "that
will, if we are mandatory, give us all / power we want & all /
safety too.  Our positn is in some respects better under /
mandatory system, if we get it in above form, than if we were
in outright control, bec. Japan under mandy syst. cannot &
must not fortify Marshall & Carolines or use them for
subm or naval bases. " Cook & I think this of tremendous
importance."
∴ recds (since cant do better) tt we accept subj to clear
understandg tt we to be mandaty over Is genly.
Recds agreemt but doesnt want Watt to hint
publicly tt we satisfied w anything less than imd. settlement
3 Feb.  W to H.  Cabt agrees to recdns, & Watt agrees tt mandate system may
be preferable to free annexn.
7 Feb.  H to W.  Strongly urges tt Aust shall not accept provl settlement arrgt wh
settles nothing; but tt we accept mandate if it includes power
to legislate same as Aust for Papua.  It is a condn tt we dont
accept till such power gvn. "We cannot be left in doubt in
matter of life or death".
H. now proposes to press Confce to declare itself a provl
L of N to settle matter - & urges Govt to press for this.
12 Feb. Reparations. H to W  Fr. Italy & Belg. lukewarm bec., tho dont exclude cost
of war, think there wont be eno' to pay for damage as well
as cost of war. [Hughes rages agst 14 Pts].
13 Feb.  W to H  Govt supports
10 Feb.  H to W.  H hands P. Confce memo tt mandy shdnt apply
to Is.  If it does confce imdly settle (a) who is
mandy  (2) nature of mandate - by creating itself a
provisional L of N.  No mandate acceptable to Aust
except "C" form.
13.  W to H  Govt concurs.

H to W.  13 Feb.  Hughes v. dissatisfied w L of N Commn  Japan insisting
on open door - probly wont be accepted but scheme far from satisfy.
E.g. controls our ^ means of defence & size of defence force.  Doesn't attempt
to prohibit war but seeks to compel nations to bring disputes
before execve & not to go to war before decision gn.
Doesn't compel natns to belong to L of N. Therefore L. must
have ready forces at disposal to wh we must contribute
without control.  No guarantee tt L of N will uphold White
Aust. policy - & if it decides agst us its forces will be
directed agst us.  Hughes afraid it will be rushed thro'
before Wilson leaves.  Think I.W.C. will try & get Doms
to accept - wants support in his request for discussing
scheme in detail & submittg it to Govt.
H to W  17 Feb.  Hughes ws disapptd with bitter Austln press comment on his
speech in November, & thought Govt hadnt backed him
eno'.  He now expresses apprecn of their expressn of confidence
(of Feb 12)
W to H.  19 Feb.  Agrees covenant must have full discn.  Watt is
obtaining terms so tt Cabt can do it, and if Hughes will
let him know when next it comes up Watt will let him
have his colleagues' views. Watt agrees tt Wilson
inexplicable; but all parties to league have to undergo
some restrictn of sovereignty.
W to H.  21 Feb  In answer to tel. of 15 Feb.
Aust War Cost "Estimated Total ultimate amt and War Expre is £354 million
after deducting amts recoverable.  Total includes War Pensions
to 31 Mar 1919 but does not include capitalised future cost
thereof wh is estd at £100 m.  The amt of ₤354 m is made up
as follows:

Annual interest cost to Cth when all loans raised will
probably be £16,000,000.
H to W.  24 Feb.  Hopes Cabt wont accept scheme till after his return.
LI.G. had summoned him to London - gtly disturbed by Wilson's
view tt under 14 Pts we were precluded from asking cost of war.
"Brit. people fa more set on indemnity covering war cost
than on any other point y single thing".
W to H.  1 Mar.  Re Murdoch's ^ critical letter to press on Slow Demobilisn
W to H  12 Mar    "            "          Criticism of H. posing as world's leader in Paris instead
of getting ships.

W to H.
Mar 19  Cable (not on file) asking Hughes date of return. ^ H to W Mon 21 "I am so heartily
sick of everything here tt I long to retire " but feels cant do so till
matters vitally affecting Aust. settled - indemnities, mandates
now being discussed by Co of Ten.
as to signing Peace Treaty
"(1) I shall not sign anything unless & until I
have commcted w you.
"(2) Everything I do sign will be subj. to / reservatn
tt / Cth Parlt must approve before Cth can be
finally bound."
Mar 22.  W to H.  Refce article 20 L of N considble discn in press follg suggn
of WL Baillieu tt Hughes "be requested to submit
democratic programme to Peace Confce to secure
better condns for working men" - Shorter wkg day suitable only
feasible by agrt betw all countries trading w each
other:- Referred to Whitley rept, Lord Leverhulmes
support of 6 hour day, Lord Piries grant of 47 hr wk
without reduced pay.  Cabt suggests Hughes submit
matter for considern when Article 20 dealt w.
Mar 27 W to H  Agrees tt matters vital to Aust shd be settled before
H leaves.  Personal reason is W. wants to retire
thro' ill health (chiefly).  Asks for infn of Peace Confce
at least once a week.
April 2.  Pearce to Watt:  Commencing demobln duties today.
Mar 28.  H to W.  Asks to be kept informed of Aust's desire to withdraw
? from Anglo Swiss Treaty? (so as to have a free hand)
N to W.  28 Mar.  Unfortly nothing to report.  "Co of Four sit behind closed
doors issuing daily statements to press".  Officl Brit.
press is preparing Brit. public for no or v. small indemnity.
"Influences are at work here to make things easy for Gs."
[*Deplores delay*]

"Four months ago Gy & all Europe wd have accepted
any peace terms allies decided to impose unopposed, now
/ positn has changed fundamentally.  We must do our
best get mandates for Islands & our share of any
indemnity & stand fast for unimpaired right to
make whatever laws we please & get boys home and
see things through somehow by ourselves."
H to W.  Ap 1.  H afraid of Labour Confce wh he had just left on Ap 1. "We are being enmeshed
in a web from wh I see no way of freeing ourselves."  Cant get mandate
till sign treaty.  Cant sign treaty without agreeing to Labour Conventn
"an absolutely hopeless doct" drawn up by "Gompers Barnes & Coy".
Jap. trying to get right to equality under Covt.  Conventn admits Jap. Chin.
Etc to all unions. H to ∴ danger to White Aust.
Hughes trying to get immigrn recogd as domestic affair. & acceptce
of Conventn made indept of covenant.

13 Feb.  H to W.  Scheme of L of N.  Japan insisting on open door.
4 Apr  W. to H.  Aust. people & Parlt cdnt agree to principle of racial
equality for wh Japan is seeking.
11 Apr.  W to H.  Reply to Labour Conventn cable. If facts as H says Cabt suppts him.
Diffct to see how Immigrn can be regarded as a domestic matter
(for Hughes's considern) But naturalisn is.
Orgd Labour in Aust wd refuse to admit Asiatics to their ranks.
W to H  15 Apr.  When expect to return?
Govt embarrassed by Murdoch's cables from Paris 8 & 11 Apr.  Interview
w Makino who says tt Jap. wd hold Aust. accountable for failure
to secure amendment - & tt only Aust. in way.  It most unfortunate
tt ^ oppn to Japanese shd centre on Australia.  "Activities & utterances
calculated specially to inflame Japanese feeling agst Aust. ought to be
moderated or eliminated" subj. to Hughes's knowledge on / spot.
H to W.  13 Ap.  Peace terms almost ready but coming to a crisis.  On Friday
a "most historical" Cabt mtg  LI.G., Bon. Law, 4 Dom PMs, &
2 colleagues on Repn Commn  LI G says 4 in agrt re Dantzig & Saar.
Real business - reparatn - excludes cost of war, includes capitaln of
Pensions.  Best W wd agree to. Cuts our share down by 75%, also Engld's.
LI. G. asked all if they wd suppt it.  Best he cd get.  W wd go back to
Am. w his army if not accepted.  All other Dom PMs & Bon L. imdy
accepted.  H sd in view of his opinions he cdnt assent but wd
abide by will of majority.
H to W.  15 Ap.  (1) Repn - still a hitch.  (2) Fiume unsettled - Italy may not sign.
(3) Dantzig & Saar settled.  (4) Colonies unsettled but not to go back to Gy.
(5) Wilson sd to have backed down on Economic Equality - if not. I won't sign treaty.
Hughes anticipates treaty may be rejected ; cd have been enforced in
Nov, Dec, Jan or even Feb - not easy now yet must be done.
"Things are not going well, either for Aust or from its delegates.
I feel & am rotten."
H to W  16 Ap.  Begging Watt to stay on as trouble inside & outside pty. "I am
very sick & am little disposed to fight desperate battles inside &
outside." Hughes too wants rest.
W to H.  17 Ap.  Intentn tt reparns not to include cost of war caused profound
surprise to Cabt.  Wd prove staggering blow if put O.  Taxes will cripple
Aust for 2 generatns.  Hughes cd have tn no other course.
Can't understand why America weighed so much w Fr & Brit.
Diffct to see how we can recommend acceptance ^ to Parlt without criticism.
H to W.  17 Ap.  Re return - cant be more definite.
Re Japan - quite agree. "American delegates trying to persuade Jap.
here tt Austln oppn only reason for rejection.  This is contemptible
lie." Jap amendmt approved by 11 of 17 or 18. 2 American delegates
didnt vote.  Makino gtly incensed by Wilson & prefers straightout
opponent.
W. to H. ^ 25 Ap Prepared to hang on - (not broken down but "in & out").  Wants H to be
back by opening of Parlt 1st wk Jy.

H to W.  Ap. 28.  Doubt if can return before end Jy. Advises you ^ W Parlt shd meet, get
supply, short adjournment till H. returns, & give H. chance of
making full statemt Peace terms.
H to W.  29. Ap.  Will try & send Precis of Treaty
W to H.  1 May  Surely some news of Germ. cols.  Urges ^ claim to Nauru.  "Think of
5 million people carrying an unproductive war debt of £300,000,000."
League or no League we must always remember that more than half the
people o / world look w hungry eyes across narrow seas at our gt empty land.
We must guard this Brit. outpost, & we can only succeed by liberal encouragement
from our elder kinsfolk.  We have matter in your hands relying on the
wisdom & generosity of Brit. Statesmen."
H to W.  May 4.  Sends outline of Peace terms
(a) Loss of sovereign rights over Alsace Lor, Poland, Czecho Slovakia,
Jugoslavia etc.
(b) loss of political rights over territories eg Saar Basin
(c) Cession of all former G. cols to Allies.
(d) Payment of reparn incldg capitalised pensions.
(e) loss of all mercantile marine over 1500 ts & propn under 1500.
(f) loss of practly whole navy
(g) Germ. army red^d to 100,000.
Peace terms affecting allies inter se:
(a) G. colonies etc outside europe placed under L of N & govd by mandatories
3 classes of mands- Pac. Is in 3rd cl.
(b) Mandy of 3rd class may make same laws as for self subj to condns
re liquor etc.
(c) Mandty powers not apptd. ^ H trying to get 3rd cl. apptd.
"Reparn This is fixed at abt 11,000,000,000 of wh ^ abt first ₤1,000,000,000 ^ more or less are to
be pd in within 1st year or two yrs or so. ^ Commn to be apptd to admn.
[*The balance is to be spread
over a term of years
& a Commn is to be
apptd to take charge &
adminr all matters
incidental to reparatn.
This Commn may decide how
much less - or possibly
more - Gy shall pay each
yr than amt decided on
by Allies. This yearly amt
may be as a fact anything
from ₤200 m to ₤600 m a year
more or less. In this regard very
much, if. not. everything, depends
on Commission.*]
reparns - how much to be pd each yr. Out of total amt incl.
first ₤1000 m, Fr. gets 55%, say ₤7000 m, / Brit Empire ^ gets somewhere abt 2,000 m.
Aust or abt 1/5th of the whole. Australia's share of this will
be (as cost of war is not included) abt 1/25^th of the 2,000 m spread
over 20 or 50 or a million years more or less.  Our
share of first ₤1000 m will be one 25^th of say ₤200 m -
say 8 m. If we get it!  Belg is much better treated than
we are, & was offered ₤100 m of the first ₤1000 m & refused.
Her war debt is much less than ours. She lost in war
only abt ½ as many men as we did. Her cas were less
than on ½. Fr has suffered terribly & I grudge her nothing."
Hughes pressing claim for G. ships.
Japan gets Marshalls & Carolines & Kiao Chou.
H to W.  7 May.  "Mandates formally setted this mg for SW Afr & Pac Is.
SW Afr. goes to Union Govt: Germ Samoa goes to NZ. All
other G Is. & S of Eqr exc. Nauru to Aust. Mandate in form
we desire - tt is, power to make same laws as we
have in Cth Terrties."
Nauru goes temply to Brit Emp. pending settlemnt betw UK NZ & Aust.
"On Monday we had long heated discn" durg wh Massey objd "in
most offve way x to Aust having mandate, insisting it shd go to
Britain." H. had repd case to L.G. & Milner.  ^H wd refuse to sign treaty.
W to H.  9 May  Reply re Nauru - improper x not to sign. Put up best fight you can.

H to W.  4 June  Gs will probly sign if cert. modificns made.
H to W.  4 June.  "Impt modificns made suggd in treaty. One affects reparation, makes
it still worse. Diffct to calculate exactly, but, as far as one can see on
suggd new basis Aust cannot have to get more than £50 m
spread over 20 or 30 yrs.
H to W.  4 June.  Nauru. In face of yr tel. I cd of course not follow / only
course tt wd have gn us full control of Nauru & its
phosphates etc.  Coy to be bought out by UK Aust NZ our
propn being equal to UK's. Wkg if phosp. to be vested in 3
Commrs one apptd by each Govt, free from polit. control. Requirement
of 3 countries to be supplied at fixed price - Cost & exs of admn
in[[?]]on Capital etc. Profits of other sales divided betw Govts in
propn to contribns. Adminr apptd by 3 Govts - 1st by Aust.
"On / whole it might be worse."
H to W.  13 June  Re economic clause in reparn sectn of Treaty. This has bn approved,
w minor modificns, by Co. of Four. Effects will be serious for if we
give it to Gy we cant refuse it to Japan.
W to H.  20 June.  Cabt agrees tt if economic clause limits Austs freedom to
dispose of products and frame tariff as she pleases Parlt won't
ratify treaty & Govt cdnt invite it to do so.

{*Notes by Dr Bean*]
1.  Villa Majc.  13/1/19.  11 am.  Representation
LI G says Wilson agreed to Doms. having 1 each like on same terms as Gce. Roum. Serbia (2)
Clem. astound by req. for 2 each.
Doms - where ints. concerned - want to be same as smaller powers.
2.  Jan 20 1919 V/M. 4 pm.
Hughes apt recg anti-Bolsh.
"The Beligt powers w genl ints "take pt in all sitting & Comms.
            "                "        " particlr "       "     "     "  / sittings at wh qns
covrg them are discussed
3.  Jan 23.
p.3.  LI.G.  sd decided time limit be set within wh small powers
shd submit their case to gt powers (to expire 1 Feb).
LI. G. & Clem. were anxious to know where W. stood on

qn of G. Colonies & Turkey before / discn in L of N came on.
Evently case not to be tn till 3 Feb.
Thereupon Clem & LI G. suppd by Ital & Jap reps suggd tt cs of
G. colonies be discussed imdly.  LI.G & Clem had later seen Clem
& sd tt Doms shd present own case.
Borden objd to contce of mtgs of 10. ^ "Interallied conversations" not formal confce.
Only began to appear then tt 10 were the Confce.
[*Jan 24.  Hughes spoke re Pac.
Botha & Smuts re SW &
Wilson asked what mandaty meant.
He sd tt Terry
wd be admind
by some power
apptd by L of N -
In so far as Adminⁿ
became a finanl
burden L of N shd
share expense
Wils. sd tt SA wd have
^ pract. same control of SWA
as if annexed.
(Hughes not in this -
confined to saying
tt inhabs of country wdnt
be willing to pay for
public needs when they
cd go to L of N.)*]
Hughes asked what was order of discn. LI.G. sd ^ Depd on Wilson - mandatory
principle might come first.
4. Jan 27.  Villa Maj. 6.30p.  LI G sd v. strong case made out for annexn.
must clear up qn of mandates. Who wd pay?
Smuts & Cecil had met and drawn paper on Mandatories
(1) G. Gols next to Brit Dom - to be annexed.
(2) G Cols in Centl African mandatory. Mandaty must bear exp.
(3) Cols Terrs where people cd sp. for themselves
but needed asstce in developing country. Subj for L of N.
LI. G. sd Brit posn clear - no applicn of mandaty pr. in case
of Cols claimed by Aust, SA & NZ. Before accepting
mandaty pr for U.K. required further advice.
Jones  Christie  Latham.

5 Jan 28 V/M. 3p.
LI.G. sd  (1) W ws agst naming mdties & wanted leaving
L of N. to name them.
LI G. had sd tt if this ws adopted none of Europn
powers wd sign Treaty of Peace
W reprisd tt he cdnt return to Amer. w /
World parcelled out by / gr Powers.
(2) W. didnt think it necy tt there shd be an
identical mandate in each case.
Also sd tt if exceptn were made for Brit Doms it
cd not be refused to Japan.
Debate quoted by Scott.
6.  Jan 29.  11.30 am  23 Rue Nitot.
LI G. sd he feared a deadlock & tt / Presdt wd
leave before agreemt had bn reached.
∴ LI G. wanted to push on now.
LI G then laid draft resolns before mtg.
Expld & put the 3 classes.
Hughes gave another case
LI.G. defined / limits to wh / BE shd go in pressing / Austln case.
Hughes says ^ who wd be mdty? not satisfy to leave appt of mdty to League.
LI.G. sd princ wd allow White Aust. policy in NG. - ? for other Is.
Hughes based objns on W.A.policy
Then decided tt, subj to discn held immdly by Massey
Hughes & Botha, LI G. shd present /
draft at mtg of 10 tt aftn.