March 16, 1919

The Japanese delegation has suffered in the last week a loss of prestige which most certainly they do not relish. The Council of Ten, composed of the ministers for foreign affairs, has been superseded in favor of the Council of Four (the “Big Four” for short). One of the delegates from the Rising Sun Empire sits in with the Council of Ambassadors and one or the other, generally Makino, sits in with the other important commissions, but they have no place in the Big Four. The explanation is that this august body is composed of chiefs of state or prime ministers, such as Wilson, Clemenceau, Lloyd George, and Orlando. While it is admitted that both Saionji and Makino have at various times and indeed repeatedly served as premiers in Japan, they are not clothed with this authority at present.

House thinks this little and local “exclusion act” most unwise, based as it is on a mere technicality. The President appreciates the point and has authorized the Colonel to assure Makino that the work of the Four will be submitted to him before its final adoption and that then the Big Four will be expanded into the Big Five. Makino was greatly pleased by the assurance. Evidently Tokyo had been harassing him for explanations and for information which from personal knowledge he was unable to give. He beamed with satisfaction when the Colonel assured him that up to the present the Four have concentrated on European problems in which they have special interests, but that the moment the larger world questions are brought up he will be called in and enjoy equal opportunities and rights. No one but little Hughes from Australia seeks to hasten the coming of that critical moment. He, however, morning, noon and night bellows at poor Lloyd George that if race equality is recognized in the preamble or any of the articles of the Covenant, he and his people will leave the Conference bag and baggage. Even the President, usually so restrained not to say formal in his language, says Hughes is “a pestiferous varmint”—but still he represents a continent. The President hates to compromise, but as he admitted to House this afternoon: “If we fail to get a perfect peace, of which we could be proud, at least we must not let the world slip back into anarchy.”