According to Juan Buero (grand-nephew), Montevideo, Uruguay, the Uruguayan Delegation to the signature of the treaty (session of 18 June 1919) was led by Juan A. Buero at that time Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jacobo Varela Acevedo and Juan Carlos Blanco.
During the session held the 28th April 1919 at the Quai D' Orsay after his speech, my grandfather (Juan A. Buero) received the following note written with a pencil by Woodrow Wilson: "Your statement was admirable. I fully recognize the leadership Uruguay has shown in all liberal reform and in the international cooperation for peace. WW" (See image below.)
In the Papers of Woodrow Wilson, it is noted that Wilson met Buero briefly on May 16th (From the diary of Dr. Grayson, Wilson's personal physician, vol. 59, p 186). Edith Benham, the social secretary to Wilson's wife, noted in her diary (vol. 58, p. 187) that on the 28th, "The delegate from Uruguay made an excellent and very short speech. The P[resident] in commenting on it tonight said that Uruguay in its legislation and laws is the most advanced country in the world and he said he wrote a little note to the delegate complimenting him on what he said which bore out the reputation his country enjoyed."
Juan A. Buero was then for several years "Conseiller juridique de la SDN" (Legal counseller to the League of Nations).
Juan A. Buero was born in Paris in 1884. He did his primary, secondary and higher school in France, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, graduating as a lawyer from the Montevideo University. He was Senator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and delegate to the Peace Conference. He was also Legal Counselor to the League of Nations for several years.
His only daughter died young, so most of his documents and books were preserved by his brother, Enrique E. Buero, who was also a lawyer and a diplomat (Uruguayan ambassador to the UK in 1950). Enrique E. Buero and Jules Rimet organized the first world cup in 1930 in Uruguay.
Juan Antonio Buero circa 1940. Photo courtesy Juan Buero (grand-nephew)
Conference Agenda Session Announcement
Note from President Woodrow Wilson
Decree from King George V (1919) to Juan Antonio Buero; a PDF version