Excerpt from A History of the Peace Conference of Paris, Vol. 4

The publication of the first three volumes of this work resulted in the production of much helpful suggestion and criticism from both sides of the water, of which advantage will be taken in this and the two remaining volumes. But, as the attempt to write contemporary history is in some sense both audacious and strange; it may be well to state briefly What experience has shown that this history can, and cannot, do.

The Peace Conference was undoubtedly in the main the work of Four, or perhaps more often of Three, men. In not a few important decisions, as for instance Reparation, Com pulsory Military Service, and Poland, it is well known that the solutions adopted were directly due to the influence of one or other of these commanding personalities. But even if the records of the conversations of these men were available (and some of them certainly never will be) we should not have the Whole truth. Agreements are not always in writing, steno graphic reports do not invariably show the trend of a debate, and the motives of individuals are seldom entirely visible in their arguments. Much valuable information has already been published by such men as Tardieu or Lansing and House, Who stood on the steps of the throne, and men like C. T. Thompson and Wilson Harris, Who waited in the ante-chambers. More is certain to be forthcoming. But it is practically certain that some of the arcana of the Conference Will never really be revealed.

One suggestion made is that the motives of men can be understood by estimating the pressure to which they were subjected. This would involve estimating the relative pressure exercised on their plenipotentiaries, first by the American.

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