PREFACE

meetings took place in private in a room forming part of
a spacious suite on the first floor. While the conferences were
proceeding I sat in an adjoining room, one cloor of which
opened into the conference chamber. Here also sat: the officials
and others who were likely to be required by the delegates,
so that I had many opportunities for talks with interesting people.
The British delegation were housed, for the most part, at
the Hotel Majestic. Mr. Lloyd George was provided with a flat
in the rue Nitot. It was furnished with beautiful French furni-
ture, which proved rather a burden to his staff, who were in
constant fear lest visitors should injure it with their cigars and
cigarettes—which, by the way, some of them did, thus leading
to a heavy claim for dilapidations,

Mr. Balfour was housed in a flat above that of Mr. Lloyd
George. Sir Maurice Hankey and his staff occupied an annex
to the Hotel Majestic, The offices of the British delegation
were in the Hotel Astoria, where I also had offices, including
a big room for my Press meetings, which were largely attended.
It being thought undesirable that the Press should be under
any obligation to the Government, I did not live at the Hotel
Majestic but at the Ritz Hotel.

R.