WASHINGTON CONFERENCE

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17220, 10 August 1921, Page 6

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE

BRITISH REPRESENTATION. WILL ME LLO7D OEOEOE ATTEND? (By C»bl»-Ppe«« Afaociatton—Coprrlffctf (Australian and N.Z. Cable AMOciaMos-) PARIS. August 8. Mr Lloyd George informed British and American journalists thai he would not be able to attend the Washington Conference. (Received August 9th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Augu.it 9. The Paris correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle" says: "Mr Lloyd George has not informed journalist* that he is not going to Washington. I am informed that Mr Lloyd George intends to accept President Harding's invitation to visit Washington as tha official British representative. C"Th» Timiw.") (Received August 9th, 7.20 p.m.) LONDON. August 9. Mr Lloyd George's announcement in Paris that he will not attend the Washington Conference has surprised London Government circles, which attribute his decision to the enormous accumulation of work which wiO require his personal attention daring tha autumn. It is further suggested that anticipated developments in tha Irian situation have caused the Prime Minister to change his mind. Some people are inclined to associate his change of plan with the possibility of s general election in the autumn. (Received August 9th, 7.20 p.m.) PARIS, August 8. Beuter's Agency is authorised to state that neither the British delegation nor the Embassy has made any statement regarding Mr Lloyd George's intentions in the matter of going to America. Moreover, 'Mr Lloyd George has received no American journalists. ATTITUDE OF JAPAN. (Au»ti«li*n *nd N.Z. Cable Aaaocirtioa.) TOKYO, August 8. Mr T. Hara, Prime Minister, inter* viewed, denied the statement* credited to him that Japan was determined that such questions as Yap and Shantung should be excluded from the Washington discussions, or that Japan expected \a preliminary conference. Mr Hara said: "All we ask inn indicated in our Note on July 28th, in which we stated that we deemed it advisable that the agenda should be arranged before the Conference vat convened. Beyond that, we are quite willing to accept President Harding's invitation for whatever time and place he names." , CHINA'S ACCEPTANCE. WASHINGTON, August 8. ■* China has accepted November lith a! the date of the disarmament conference.