President Wilson expressed the view that the emissaries of the Allied Powers should not be authorised to adopt any definite attitude towards Bolshevism.  They should merely report back to their Governments the conditions found.

Mr. Lloyd George asked that that question be further considered.  He thought the emissaries of the Allied Powers should be able to establish an agreement if they were able to find a solution.  For instance, if they succeeded in reaching an agreement on the subject of the organization of a Constituent Assembly, they should be authorised to accept such a compromise without the delay of a reference to the Governments.

     President Wilson suggested that the emissaries might be
     furnished with a body of instructions.

     Mr. Balfour expressed the view that abstention from hostile
     action against their neighbours should be made a condition
     of their sending representatives to this meeting.

     President Wilson agreed.

M. Clemenceau suggested that the manifesto to the Russian parties should be based solely on humanitarian grounds.  They should say to the Russians:  “You are threatened by famine.  We are prompted by humanitarian feelings; we are making peace; we do not want people to die.  We are prepared to see what can be done to remove the menace of starvation.”  He thought the Russians would at once prick up their ears, and be prepared to hear what the Allies had to say.  They would add that food cannot be sent unless peace and order were re-established.  It should, in fact, be made quite clear that the representatives of all parties would merely be brought together for purely humane reasons.

Mr. Lloyd George said that in this connection he wished to invite attention to a doubt expressed by certain of the delegates of the British Dominions, namely, whether there would be enough food and credit to go round should an attempt be made to feed all Allied countries, and enemy countries, and Russia also.  The export of so much food would inevitably have the effect of raising food prices in Allied countries and so create discontent and Bolshevism.  As regards grain, Russia had always been an exporting country, and there was evidence to show that plenty of food at present existed in the Ukraine.

President Wilson said that his information was that enough food existed in Russia, but, either on account of its being hoarded or on account of difficulties of transportation, it could not be made available.

(It was agreed that President Wilson should draft a proclamation, for consideration at the next meeting, inviting all organized parties in Russia to attend a Meeting to be held at some selected place such as Salonika or Lemnos, in order to discuss with the representatives of the Allied and Associated Great Powers the means of restoring order and peace in Russia.  Participation