GENOA—HAGUE

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 4592, 18 May 1922, Page 1

GENOA—HAGUE

DELEGATIONS PREPARE TO TRANSFER. AWAITING RUSSIA’S REPLY. ATTITUDE OF AMERICA. (By Electric Cable—Copyright.) Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.) Genoa, Mu- 10. It is understood the United States reply does not indicate Senator Hughes’s final decision. Signor Schanzer is still communicating with Washington and it is hoped America mar- .ultimately agree to attend the Hague. The Russian delegation attended a sitting of the First Sub-Commission. M. Tchitcherin asked a number of questions regarding the Hague pro- . posals, particularly as to why Germany was excluded. The reply was given that Germany made a separate treaty with Russia and M. Tcliitcheriti was reminded of his decision of a month ago. -Secondly, lie asked what power would preside at the Hague? Whereupon it was explained that a Commission would appoint its own chairman and secretariat. He was also informed that the Soviet’s desire for recognition would depend on the Hague report. A meeting of convenin'- Powers decided to refer the Lithuanian question and anti-typhus campaign to the League of Nations. The meeting urgently appealed to the nations .to contribute to the League’s campaign against disease. Mr Lloyd George, while regarding the Eastern Galician frontier question as dangerous, thought with the truce proposed the difficulty would be removed. Therefore it would be wiser not to press the question at this stage. He thought Hungary and Bulgaria should be allowed to hand the Conference their statements regarding the treatment of minorities. It is understood Ibis course will satisfy both countries and that the Conference should hand the statements to the League of Nations. The programme for terminating Hie Conference having been deferred until tho Russian reply was ’eceivod, the meeting agreed that although the Hague was nominated as the place of meeting of the next conference, the matter was still open to discussion ; that the finding at the -Hague mu be referred to the various Govenmi ;nts for acceptance that the respective Governments’ sovereignty must lie maintained, that the period of truce must be still a matter for disetssino, but must be decided at Genoa. M. Tchitcherin started a lengthy controversy with Baron Ishii in regard to Japan’s attitude, to which Baron Ishii effectively replied that Japan was perfectly ready, to conclude a pact of non-aggression. Signor Schanzer, -replying to M. Tchicherin. said the instrument of truce would he diafted hers. M. Fchifeherin asked for 24 hours to consider his reply, which was granted. There is some idea that the final plenary session, will be held on Thursday, but it is more likely to be held on Saturday.

FRENCH SATISFACTION. London, May IG. The Morning Post’s Paris correspondent says the refusal, of tho United States to participate in the Hague Conference has been received with satisfaction, as it is regarded as a fresh check to Mr Lloyd George. U is possible France may follow the American lead and also decline to he represented at the Hague, but Ihe precise position of tho Uintad States is not yet clear. PLEDGE REQUIRED. Tho Genoa correspondent of tho Daily Mail says that the First SubCommission has decided that a pledge will be required from the States icpresented at" The Ilaguo Conference not to conclude arrangements with Russia during tho life of tho Coiifironce. This shall not apply to treaties already being negotiated, but will only forbid new treaties. Ibis decision follow’s on the official confirmation by tho Japanese of the fact that they are negotiating a separate Treaty with Moscow, including. . as well as economic clauses, a political clause regarding the evacuation of Siberia. Italy. Sweden, and Czech Slovakia are also about to conclude treaties with Russia. Tho correspondent adds that everybody believes that immediately the Genoa Conference ends there will be a “Klondike gold rush” of tho big commercial institutions to secure concessions from the Moscow Government. Mr Lloyd George, when asked if there would ho anything in the pledges to be made by the nations attending the Hague Conference to prevent this, replied: “No power on earth can prevent negotiations with private persons.”