GENOA CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 17955, 28 April 1922, Page 4

GENOA CONFERENCE

STORi CLOUDS GATHER. LLOYD GEORGE’S WARNING. AN APPEAL TO AMERICA. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. GENOA, April 27. (Received April 28, at 0 a.m.) Mr Lloyd George, in addressing the journalists, took a most serious view of the European situation. lie said they were on the edge of a volcano, and unless the Genoa Conference succeeded probably ho and other grey-headed persons present would see a storm break. Tho clouds on the horizon wove growing bigger daily, and Europe might be again devastated. He appealed to America, which would, willy nilly, be forced to interest herself in Europe for the, maintenance of peace. The Genoa Conference would fail unless the pence pact was agreed to. —A. and N.Z. Cable. (Received April 28, at 9.40 a.m.) Mr Lloyd George added: “We must show restraint in the hour of triumph; otherwise Europe will again welier in blood within the lifetime of those whose hair is now' grey. That is why I wrought to make Genoa a success. I am alarmed at the storms which are gathering over Europe. They may not break immediately.’ but they will do so inevitably miles;;’ the atmosphere can be cleared, I am amazed at Hie people who ignore these portentous facts, and concentrate on selfish trivialities. Frankly, I wish America, were here. Her very aloofness from these European problems would give her the right to speak with authority. Her aid would have been invaluable, as her voice would have been the Voice of peace, conciliation, and goodwill, but it is too late. .America is not bore, and Europe must do its best to solve its problems in its own way.” Mr Lloyd Gcorgo urged tho Press of both countries to do its utmost to help tho conference to a successful issue. WEIGHTY WORDS. TERRIBLE REALITIES TO BE FACED. FRANCE ADMONISHED. LONDON, April 27. (Receive!? April 28, at 9.20 a.m.) The Australian Press Association’s correspondent at Genoa says that Mr Lloyd George’s speech to the journalists was most impressive. 11 o said that the conference was tho greatest and the most important ever held. Whether it succeeded or failed, it was bound to have a great and lasting effect upon the future of tho Continent, and would affect other continents to a greater degree than any' other conierenco in tho history of the world. The question whether carnage shall cease in Europe depended on this conference. Some people were impatient because solutions wore not found in a single fortnight. Tho Washington Conference, look three months, and it was worth every hour. Tho whole of the frontiers of Eastern Europe, from tho Baltie to the Black Sea, were unsettled. Every one of them involved tho possibility of a terrible conflict. “The racial lava of Eastern Europe,” continued Mr Lloyd George, “is boiling with the possibilities of conflicts which would draw' in tho. whole of Europe, and might oven involve distant America. Then you have Russia and Germany in a state of semi-antagonism, to the rest of Europe. Anybody who imagines that you can permanently keep down these two groat peoples, representing two-thirds of Hie people of Europe, must either bo blind or blinkered. The Russo-German agreement is a revelation to some people. _ I ventured to give a warning a long time ago as to what was inevitable unless there was a good understanding. When a hungry Russia is equipped by an angry Germany, how long will it bo before, Europe is devastated ? if that should represent the policy of any European combination. For the moment wo belong to a dominant and triumphant group, but these things do not last for ever. If our victory should degenerate into oppression, if it is tinctured or tainted by selfish interests, if the conscience of mankind feels that wo have abused the triumph which God placed in our hands, then vengeance will inevitably follow, just as it followed in the wake of the act by Germany which outraged the world’s moral sense.” —A. and N.Z. Gable. POINCARE’S POLICY. AFFIRMED BY PRESIDENT. PARIS, April 26, The President (M. Millerancl), in an important declaration at Phillippeville, North Africa, said that France will not allow her rights to he questioned. Sho docs not aim at domination, hut she thinks that her reconstruction ought to proceed at the enemy’s expense. France is ready to resume relations will Russia when the .Soviet recognises the former regime’s debts, restores tho damage done to personal property, and guarantees private rights. The Allies should lender harmless all dances of tho Russo-German Treaty which clash with the Versailles Treaty.—A. and N.Z. Cable. EUROPEAN PACT UNLIKELY. LONDON, April 26. Tho Australian Press Association’s Genoa correspondent cays that, as all the signatories to the Versailles Treaty except Japan are gathered at Genoa, it is the view’ of most of Hie Allies Hint tho opportunity should be availed of to • discuss the measures indicated by A!. Poincare. Informal conversations will be begun on the pact against aggression. Mr Lloyd Gcorgo had lengthy conversations will: M. Bart lion and other delegates with a- view to collecting various opinions. Thus far there is a general desire for a pact. Russo-German opinions have not yet been obtained. —A. and N.Z. Cable. ITALIAN PRESS VIEWS. ROME, April 26. Press views of conference arc increasing in pessimism. The ‘ Meseagoro ’ quotes a delegate of one of tho great Powers as likening tho conference to a. powder barrel to which, many arc approaching with lighted matches. The ‘ Tempo ’ declares that all remaining illusions leave vanished, and an anliITencli Coalition is being formulated,— A. and N.Z. Cable.