THE TRUCE

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 4593, 20 May 1922, Page 2

THE TRUCE

EACH DELEGATION MAKES PLEDGE. GENOA PLENARY SESSION. (By Electric Cable—Copyright.) (Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.) Genoa, May 19. The truce will not lie a signed document, but each delegation at Friday’s Plenary Session will make a solemn declaration faithfully to observe it. FRANCE AND GERMANY. London, May 18. Mr Chamberlain, replying to a question in the House of Commons, ■stated that France had not sent any further assurance that she was willing to confer on the Note. It is expected that if the Reparations Commission reports the Germans have defaulted on Mav 31, the Allies must confer and decide what action is to be taken. HARDING’S ADVICE TO RUSSIA. Washington, May 19. President Harding, addressing the United States Chamber of Commerce, declared that there can be no reconstruction of Russia until the Communistic idea had been abolished. He expressed the belief that if America had a merchant fleet in proportion to its importance, there would not have been any world war. Senator Hughes, addressing the same body, expressed similar convictions regarding Russia.

ACCEPTANCE OF PACT. STRIKING HISTORIC! SCENE. (Received May 20, 8.50 a.m.)Genoa, May 19. At the Plenary Session, the heads of the delegations accepted the nonaggression truce, all rising and taking adherence thereto as President Facta called the roll of nations. Japan, Belgium and France promised to ask their Governments to accept tho pact as a pact. President Facta, said all Governments are considered as having accepted the pact, which was thus adopted. A RUSSIAN REVOLT. M. Tchitcheriu (Russia) created a sensation while Signor Facta was about to move the adoption of the economic report by accusing M. Colrat, the French chairman of the Labour Sub-Commission, of barring Russians from the Commission, despite the fact that the Russians l.ad the only Government in The world based on Labour organisations. M. Tcliitcherin objected that tho report did not contain a single line of legislation for the protection of workmen and the 8-hour law had not been made obligatory on the world. He declared that the general impression of the report is that the delegates drawing it up lacked the courage to do \ hat was nocesasry to restore Europe. - M. Colrat responded hotly. He denied that the Russians had been oxcluded from the Commission, which was a small body, “and wo had reasons not to include Russians.” He did not think M. Tchitcheriu was qualified to give any lessons to Labour, considering the chaotic conditions in his own country.

GOOD WORD FROM FRITZ. Herr Rathenau (Germany), discussing the economic report, admitted that important results had been obtained at Genoa, but it would be a mistake to believe that the crisis from which the world was suffering had been solved. While trying to Iceep within the scope of the Conference of the agenda, Herr Rathenau pointed out that there were a few principles without which ••mnd Di'S’te could not be restored. RATHENAU TOUCHES THE HIGH SPOTS. Herr Rathenau said the total debt in the different countries was too big for these countries’ creditors. They wore unable to disco ’or how much the later have to pay. There was no country excepting tin Great Republic which owes no one and to whom everybody owes money, which can balance the midget or able to stabilise exchanges. I'm coim’ry which owed money to others rhonld be able to pay hi goods, not i.n go'd ; otherwise, the problem of the re-es-tablishment of trade would bo impossible. Above rll, confidence would not be restored until a true peace was re-established. Until now. demobilisation had not even been proceeded with to any great extent. Herr Rathenau, who is one of Germany’s foremost economists, was warmly applauded during and at tire end of his speech.