PORTENTOUS SIGNS

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 182, 29 April 1922, Page 7

PORTENTOUS SIGNS

STORMS GATHERING OVER EUROPE MR. LLOYD GEORGE ALARMED CESSATION OF CARNAGE DEPENDENT ON GENOA CONFERENCE Mr. Lloyd George, in a most impressive speech, says he is alarmed by the storms that are gathering over Europe, and that will inevitably break, unless the atmosphere can be cleared. The question whether carnage shall cease in Europe, he declares, depends on the Genoa. Conference. z

by Telegraph—Press Association. — Copyright. . Genoa, April 26. Mr. Lloyd George, addressing a gathering of journalists, said he took the most serious view of the European situation. The clouds on the horizon were daily growing bigger,,and Europe might again be devastated. • The Australian Press Association’s representative states that the speech ■ was most impressive. He said the con ference was the greatest and most important eyer held. Whether it suo needed or failed, it was bound to have a great and lasting effect upon tho future of the Continent/and would affect other continents in a'greater degree than any other conference in the history of the world. “The question who ther carnage shall cease in Europe depends on this conference. Some people are impatient because solutions are not found in a single fortnight. The Washington Conference took three . months; and it was worth every hour of it. “The whole of the frontiers /of Eastern Europe, from tho Baltic to the Black Sea, are unsettled. Every one of them involves the possibility of a terrible conflict. The racial lava of E astern Europe is boiling with possibilities of conflicts, which will draw in the whole of Europe, and may even involve distant America.. Then you have Russia and Germany in a state which is semi-antagonistic to the rest of Europe. Anybody who imagines you can permanently keep down these two, great peoples, representing twothirds of the people of Europe, must either be blind or b’inkcred. The Russo- ' German; Agreement is a.revelation to some people. I ventured to give a warning a dong time ago as to what w ae inevitable unless there was a good understanding. When the hunger of R ussia is equipped by the anger of Germany,, how long, will it be before Europe is devastated if that should represent the policy of any European combination? ■“Fortlie moment we belong to a dominant and triumphant group; but ;j these things do not,last for ever. If Our victory degenerates into oppression, ... if ; it is tinctured _and tainted with selfish interests, if the conscience of mankind feels that, we have abused the triumph God has placed in our hands, then vengeance will inevitably-follow, just as it followed in the wake of the act by Germany which outraged the mor a l sense of the world. *We must show (> restrajnt in the hour of triumph; other wise Europe will again welter in , blood within the lifetime of those who se hair is now grey. That is why I have wrought to make the Genoa Conference a success. I am alarmed by the storms that are gathering over Eu rope. They may not. break immediately, but they will inevitably .unless the atmosphere can be cleared. lam .amazed at the people who ignore th es e portentous facts, and concentrate bn .selfish, trivialities. . . “Frankly, I wish America were h ere.. Hen very aloofness from these , European problems would give her the right to speak with authority. Her . aid would have bpen invaluable, as her voice would have been the voice of peace, conciliation, arid good will; but. it is too late. America is not here, and Europe must do her best to solve her problems her own wav.” , Mr,'Lloyd George urged the Press of,both countries to do their utmost to help 'the conference to a successful issue..—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

PRESS COMMENTS ON SPEECH . MIXED RECEPTION IN • ENGLAND (Rec. April 28,. 7.45 ,p.m 7 ) , ‘.London, April\2B. Mr-. Lloyd George’s speech has had a mixed reception-from the Press. The . “.Westminster Gazette” declares: “The Treaty oL Versailles cannot stand enforcement. It might defer,the rise of Russia,/arid Germany, but could not permanently keep, them iti. subjection. ... That .is . what Mr. Lloyd George’ means when he says that if the pact of peace Js .not arranged Europe will again be plunged in a welter of blood. That is why we are’compelled to tell France that we must steadfastly oppose her ’proposed policy.” The, “Morning Post” supports tho French attitude. It says the Treaty of ■ Versailles; is a great instrument of human liberty, sanctified by the blood of millions of upright men. .’ . ‘ The “Daily News” says the way to - make an ultimate catastrophy certain is to badger, torment, blackmail, and Invade Germany, and insult, ostracise, and bullv Russia. The “Daily Express” says Mr. Lloyd ’ George’s views' embody the opinions of: all the-most sane and far-seeing of his countrymen. • . The ‘/Daily .Telegraph" sa ys: ‘lt is ..» terrinle utterance to come from a statesman at the centre of international affairs who »has been feeling the pulse of our common civilisatiop. Will anyone declare he is wrong? — ■ Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMANS DELIGHTED (Rec. April 28, 5.5 p.m.) f ' ' Genoa, April 27. The Germans are delighted with Mr. Lloyd George’s speech to the journallists at Genoa, and declare that it is the best' exposition .of the European situation yet made. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable ■ Assn.. ■ ’' " ■ ■ THE NON-AGGRESSION PACT Genoa, April 27. Mr. Llovd George has informally conferred with the heads of the delegations, and expects to give an outline of his non-aggression Pact scheme at the plenary session of the conference on Monday.—-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. April 28, 5.5 p.m.) - Genoa, April 28. Herr Rathehau declares that Germany will willingly enter the pact of peace.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. MEETING,OF SUPREME COUNCIL ’

VIEWS OF FRENCH PREMIER l Paris, April 27. The “Matin” says that M. Poincare has accepted in principle Mr. Lloyd George’s proposal that the Supreme Council should meet at the earliest possible date. M. Poincare will probably demand that the meeting shall be Held in Par», and not in Genoa He is prepared to meet the Allies, it necessary, before President Millerand returns. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Genoa, April 27. The Supreme Council will probably meet on May 6, The Germans will be invited to attend.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn ' ’ Paris, April 27. M. Barthou points out that Mr, Lloyd George’s programme included the discussion of a possible sanction on Mav 31 if the Reparations Commission gives notice of Germany s default. The view taken in Paris is that acceptance of the proposal to discuss the reparations sections before the end ot Mav is likely to seriously prejudice the decisions of the commission.—Aus.NX. Cable Assn I (Rec. April M. Poincare definitely states that

fie cannot accept the suggestion that the reparations questions will be examined fundamentally at Genoa by the Inter-Allied Commission, all the more so because the Reparations Commission is dealing with, the matter, and it would not bo possible to accuse Germany of violating the treaty until after May 31. His acceptance would, only have the effect of prejudicing the work of the- commission, which alone can consider the necessary measures.—• Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Genoa, April 28. It is stated that if M. Poincare refuses to come to Genoa the Allies are prepared to meet without him. It is authoritatively stated that Mr. Lloyd George is determined to open all questions of reparations at the meeting of Versailles signatories.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. MESSAGE FROM FRENCH CABINET (Rec. April 28, 1,1.30 p.m.) Paris, April 28. The Cabinet has telegraphed to M. Barthou'agreeing with the delegation’s attitude, and instructing them to stand by the Cannes resolution and closely follow M. Poincare’s policy towards the Soviet.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable" Assn; RECONSTRUCTION OF FRANCE REPARATION RIGHTS WILL BE PRESSED Paris, Anril 26. President MiHerand. in an’important declaration at Phihppeville (North Africa). 'said : “Franco" will not allow her rights to. be questioned. She does not aim at domination, but thinks her reconstruction ought to proceed at the enemy’s expense. France is ready to resume relations with Russia when the Soviet has recognised the former regime’s debts, restored the damage done to personal property, and guaranteed private rights. The Allies should render harmless all the clauses of the Russo-German Treaty that clash with the Versailles Treaty.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. . THE RUSSIAN DEBTS TCHITCHERIN’S ATTITUDE (Rec. April 28, 5.5 p.m.) Genoa, April 28. Apropos of the Russian attitude, M. Tchitcherin states that it is impossible for Russia to sjirronder on the question of payment of private debts when bourgeois Governments not participating in the conference are not disposed to concede similarly. Hence the failure of the conference seems inevitable. It is being stated that there is a possibility that the Russians will meet the Italian views and submit the Allies’ demands to Russian public opinion, returning for another conference in two or three months. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable \Assn. (Rec. April 28, 5.5 p.m.) ■i Genoa, April 27. The Russians are awaiting the Allies’ Note on the first seven points of the experts’ report. They state that they have not the slighest intention cC breaking off the pourparlers, but are firmly determined to maintain the sovereign rights of Russia, and io maintain that the Soviet alone remains faitliTul io the essentials of the Cannes resolution—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. a GERMANY AND RUSSIA MILITARY TREATY RUMOURS DENIED i (Rec. April 28, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 27. Tho German Embassy in London has issued an emphatic denial of the rumours That secret negotiations are pro-

ceeding with a view to the conclusion of a Russo-German military treaty, under which it is alleged Germany would man the Russian warships and train the Red armies. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GRANT’S MAGNANIMOUS SPIRIT NEEDED BY THE NATIONS New York, April 27. President Harding, in a speech during the ceremonies at Pleasant Point, Ohio, commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the -birth of General Grant, said the nations of the world, in their efforts to recover from the disastrous effects of the world war, need more of the spirit of magnanimity, with which Grant had welcomed victory at the close of the Civil V ar. -Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.