GENOA

Evening Star, Issue 17968, 15 May 1922, Page 7

GENOA

RUSSIA’S ATTITUDE.

LLOYD GEORGE APPEALS TOR

PEACE,

FRENCH DELEGATE’S HANDS SIED.

Pceaii Aa»ooi»tion—By Telegraph— Copyright,

GENOA, May 13. Tho First Commission had a long and' serious debate.

Mr Lloyd George said' the. Butman answer was provoking and. unsatisfactory, and was typical of the diplomacy wnich always introduced 1 argumentative documents at times when they wore really trying to do business. However, in its substance there was room to come to some arrangement.. Everyone had a. difference with public opinion, and it. was not right, for another statesman to criticise them too severely. To break on the document, would be very serious for Europe and Asia. If wo sent tho Russians back to a, great population in the grip .of famine and pestilence, they would feel that the door of hope had; shut on them with a, clang;. No one could doubt that herco resentment would ensue, which would be a. menace not only to Russia , but to Iho peace of the world. Ho was certain that tho Russians felt the. need of credits and now conditions on which they could he obtained. Ho begged people to regard* the position from a. practical standpoint, and not to make the most of clash of principle between two antagonistic systems. Ho therefore proposed that they should, in reply to the Russians, accept tho suggested mixed l Commission or Comniissions which would deal with the three questions of private property, debts, and credits. It was essential that the. Commissions should bo mixed. Another meeting of the London experts would be n waste of time. One thing, however, was essential: the Commissions could not work in an atmosphere of menace and semi-hostility while armies were, threatening frontiers and propaganda, was rife. Ho thus proposed a truce on the basis of tho do facto frontiers, with a- cessation of propaganda, on everyone» part. Finally, tie proposed that a sharp Note should bo sent, in reply to Russia s Note, which needed an answer. M. liar thou said that, acting on instructions from Baris, he was nuabje. to discuss a reply to a document which they had not joined in sending. Speaking on Mr Lloyd George’s proposals, he said, with regard' to the suggested Commissions, that tho conference had! been discussing for five weeks the very questions which these Commissions were to investigate without making progress. Tho Russian reply disowned’the Cannes conditions. The French delegation had done what it eoulduto reach a decision. He did not think that the Commissions could achieve any result. It simply meant starting the Genoa Conference over again in another form. He reserved- the right, to consider whether a Commission, if it were not appointed by the conference, might not later be appointed by the Government, always provided that the Russians were not represented on these Commissions, which should bo confined 1 to the Allies and neutrals—perhaps to America. France could not accept Russian representation. He saw ii gj'a.vo menace in the proposed truce, inasmuch as propaganda would- continue. Signor Schanzcr said that ho was not prepared 1 to take the responsibility of saying that the Bowers should abandon their efforts for peace after only five weeks’ work. They should not refuse Air Lloyd George’s practical proposals. The danger of a rupture was very groat, and tho gravest rtf Jill was tho parting on a, note of disnnkfii on what was, after all, a matter of procedure in regard to the goal they wished to attain. It would be a terrible disillusionment if the conference broke on a flimsy issue like, this. Ho appealed! to M. Barthou to reconsider his view.

Tho Commission adjourned for a few hours to see whether better counsel would 1 prevail.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

BRITAIN AND PRANCE,

DIFFERENCES MAY BE ADJUSTED.

GENOA, May 14.

When tho Commission resumed it was announced that conversations between Mr Lloyd! Georger and M. Bartbou bad' progressed satisfactorily, and that a compromise was likely. They will meet again to-morrow to continue the conversations.

Tho representatives of the other Powers expressed their opinions on tho truce. Viscount Ishii regarded the conference’s work as much too important to bo lightly abandoned. The whole world regarded an. understanding as being most important. Ho approved ot the British proposals. M. Barthou said bo hoped that an agreement was in sight. He hoped that they would settle the question whether Die’ Commissions would lie mixed or otherwise. On the question of a .pact, To tlx England and France desired to learn tho viewo of the other countries.

Mr Lloyd George said that they should avrcc now upon tho place and date of mooting or tho Russian Commission. Ho emphasised the great import- | anco of coming to an agreement at Genoa, | because it was obvious that if the Rowers started making separate agreements great trouble might arise.—A. and N.Z. Cable. MR GARVIN’S SUMMARY. POINCARE AS DICTATOR. "LONDON, May 13. Mr J. L. Garvin, the ‘Observer’s’ Genoa correspondent, says: ''The final decision was expected some dayis ago, but it was postponed by shuttling for a few days more. Tho conference will bo over next week, and may finish soon in a quiet agreement. On Thursday, in an open silting, and with utterances which will resound through Europe, M. Barthou .returned from Rails with a double ultimatum from M. Poincare that was iramed to shatter tho conference. M. Poincare practically issued orders to a conference of thirty nations in general, an.d to Mr Lloyd George in particular. At first M. Barthou was instructed to support Belgium unconditionally on a pedantic and useless property clause, which was framed regardless of tho practical interests of British commerce, the employment of which few of our neighbors understood and fewer still consider. Tho reasqn_ is that Brussels in this matter was willing to bo tho mouthpiece of Paris itself. Tho second ultimatum was worse. Franco would not meet Mr Lloyd George or the other signatories to tho Treaty of Versailles to discuss, before May 31, what will happen thereafter in the expected case of a German defeat. Never in the record of modem ententes’ alliances has tho Prime Minister of one country been treated with more peremptory disregard by the Premier of another. Mr Lloyd Georgo, to secure the attendance of tho French delegation at Genoa and to keep it there, made concession after concession. He consented to the exclusion of forbidden subjects from the formal proceedings, though reparations and disarmament revision were bound to bo vital matters for debate at all private meetings. By tins cumulative persistence in a course of dictation. M. Poincare, of his own initiative, has killed tho Entente. Mr Lloyd George *spoke to M. Barthou and tho other French representatives, but it is an egregious and futile falsehood, to say that ho threatened that Britain would not only dissolve tho Entente, but would seek an anti-French connection with other Powers. What Mr Lloyd George said was that M. Poincare showed not tho remotest knowledge of the British nation, and hod acted regardless of tho honor and of tho strength of Britain, or of those interests of commerce and livelihood the existence of which concerned its masses and classes alike. Mr Lloyd George said that henceforth Britain will bo with any Power that is for peace, and with no Power that is against it.” — A, and N.Z.

RUSSIA’S OBSTRUCTIVE TACTICS. "LONDON, May 12. Tho Australian Press' Association’s Genoa correspondent Matos that the Russian reply has produced something akin to pessimism. It is felt that tho conference has outlived- its usefulness, and that the effort suggested by tho" British to endeavor to secure a truce is merely to prevent tho conference from being an entire failure. The Russian suggestion that foreign capitalists have not hesitated to invest capital in Russia encourages her in the belief that when the conference terminates, .whatever its result, there are groups of financiers and commercial men waiting to exploit her resources. Tin's, together with the agreements made and other countries, fortifies her against tho demands of the Allied politicals. If a truce can bo accomplished, the conference will probably adjourn to reassemble at a future date at a place not yet named. It is understood that Franco has no objection to a truce, but may raise tho question of sanctions (o make it effective.—A. ami N.Z. Gable. JAPAN PLAYS THE GAME. TOK.TO, May 13. The Foreign Office announces that Japan has m> intention of making a, separate treaty with Russia, but will abide by tho result of the Genoa Conference.—A and N.Z, Gable. A NEW PROPOSAL, PANEL TO BE APPOINTED. TO MEET AT THE HAGUE. LONDON, Mav 14. (Received A lay 15, at 11.10 a. in A, The Australasian Press Association’* Genoa- correspondent says; The three convening Powers have decided that the Governments slia.ll appoint a panel representing tho Governments participating at Genoa, to meet at The Hague on June 15, the Russians to appoint representatives to meet this panel. It is understood that tho Russians declared that if such a course is adopted they will refuse to accept the invitation.—A, and N.Z. Cable.

CONVENING POWERS AGREE.

LLOYD GEORGE’S PROPOSAL ACCEPTED.

NO SEPARATE TREATIES WITH RUSSIA.

LONDON, May 14 (Received May 15, at 11.10 a.m.)

The convening Powers have accepted Mr Lloyd George’s proposal, including a trace, all agreeing not to make separate agreements with Russia.—A, and N.Z. Cable.

UN INVITED GUESTS.

ADVENTURERS FROM THE ORIENT

A QUEER MIXTURE

LONDON, May 13, (Received May 15, at 8.50 a.m.)

Tho Gon oil correspondent of the ‘ Evening News ’ saya that a grotesque confer-, cnco wide ahow is :i motley array of envoys which is grandiloquently selfstyled “The League of Oppressed Nations of the East,” comprising Anatolians, Egyptians, Palestinians, Syrians, Mesopotamians, Persians, Bokharans, and Indians. In (he intervals of conspiring with and against each other they flock to the largest and most dubious dance resort in Genoa. The notorious Enver Pasha is tho prime instigator of this gathering, whoso declared aim is to examine Oriental problems with reference toEurope. Its spokesmen are Rekir Sami (whom the Angora Government expelled) and Hukki Pasha. Must.'ipha. Koma-1 himself sent a delegate, Djcll Allahiii. from Angora, but ho docs not speak to Bekir or Hakki. The first formal act of this conference was to send a note to the president of fcho Genoa Conference protesting against the British control of the Suez Canal and the •Sudan. The note was naturally ignored.—A. and N.Z. Cable. LLOYD GEORGE’S PROPOSAL. TWO COMMISSIONS TO SIT. LONDON, May 14. (Received May 15, at 9.15 a.m.) Tho Genoa, correspondent of tho Australian Press Association, says : Only Mr Lloyd George's skilfulnoss as a negotiator tided over the conference’s usual week-end crisis. In the face of France’s positive determination not to sit with tho Russians on any commission, it appeared as if Franco must finally withdraw from Genoa. Franco ever since the fhwt invitation to meet tho Bolsheviks at Prinkipo in 1919 consistently refused to have anything to do with them. There have been rumors regarding a compromise, which Mr Lloyd George effected with M. Barthou, but the most reasonable assumption is that tho latter agreed that two commissions should be formed—one to consist of Russians and the other of Allies and. neutrals. This is a somewhat transparent device to save France’s amour propro; but such commissions must actually sit together if any success is to bo obtained. It is quite impossible for Loth commissions to work _by exchanging notes. Tho next interesting point is to discover what tho Russians think of such a scheme.--A. and N.Z. Gable.