Ill

THE CONFERENCE

47

The President's attitude to his colleagues had

now become : I want to meet you so far as I can ;

*

I see your difficulties and I should like to be ableto agree to what you propose; but I can do nothingthat is not just and right, and you must first of allshow me that what you want does really fall withinthe words of the pronouncements which are bindingon me. Then began the weaving of that web ofsophistry and Jesuitical exegesis that was finally toclothe with insincerity the language and substance ofthe whole Treaty . The word was issued to the witchesof all Paris:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair,

Hover through the fog and filthy air.

The subtlest sophisters and most hypocriticaldraftsmen were set to work, and produced manyingenious exercises which might have deceived formore than an hour a cleverer man than the President.

Thus instead of saying that German-Austria isprohibited from uniting with Germany except byleave of France (which would be inconsistent withthe principle of self-determination), the Treaty , withdelicate draftsmanship, states that " Germany acknow-ledges and will respect strictly the independence ofAustria , within the frontiers which may be fixedin a Treaty between that State and the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers ; she agrees that thisindependence shall be inalienable, except with theconsent of the Council of the League of Nations, "