FOUR-POWERS CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 April 1932, Page 7

FOUR-POWERS CONFERENCE

TO AID DANUBIAN STATES i TARIFFS CAUSE SPLIT [OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, April 6. A very promising exploration of the whole problem before the Four Pow’er Conference was undertaken at its first meeting to-day, and the delegates are hopeful that valuable results will be registered before the conference concludes, probably on Friday. Full delegations from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom attended the conference, which was held at the Foreign Office this afternoon. It rose after a three hour’s session and a communique issued latei’ stated: “An exchange of views took place as regards the problems inherent in the present economic and financial circumstances of the Danubian States, and the nature of the measures most appropriate for their’ solution. Before the conference adjourned, a committee was appointed to report on this subject to the conference when it resumes at. 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. .-The Four Powers agreed to appoint a committee of experts, one from each of the four Powers, to consider the problems raised by the recent report of the Financial state of certain coun-

tries of Central and South Eastern Europe.” It is understood that the Committee of the Conference will, in effect be composed of the heads of the delegations, and that Mr Ramsay MacDonald will act as Chairman. The Committee experts which the Four Powers have appointed to examine the League of Nations’ Financial Committee’s report will consist of representatives of the treasuries of the governments concerned. Sir Frederick Leitch-Ross will be the British representative. A feeling was expressed at to-day’s meeting that there was a danger of some very valuable reports, prepared under the auspices of the League of Nations, being neglected because there was not Executive authority to take them into detailed consideration. A report published last week has a very definite bearing on the subject before the Four Power Conference, and, as already known, it is to be considered next Tuesday in a specially convened meeting of the League of Nations Council. All the members of the Expert Committee which has been appointed have not yet reached London, but will begin work as soon as possible, and may continue their deliberations on the proposals made in the League’s report after the present Conference has concluded.

EARLY DISSENSIONS.

(Reed- April 8, 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 7.

“The Times” says it is understood that Danubian discussions revealed a definite conflict of opinion, the Italians and Germans opposing the Danubian group’s proposals, which, they consider, especially if Germany is excluded, would be unduly favourable to Czecho-Slovakia, in view of its greater industrialisation. The Germans oppose the French proposals, preferring a Customs '

union, embracing Danubians, including Germany, Italy and Poland, and popsibly excluding Czecho-Slovakia. Italy also urged that the Four Powers should participate in a conference with the Danubians. The FrancoBritish desire to limit the discussions to the Danubians* with the Four Powers overlooking the negotiations.

A FAMILIAR EXPLANATION-

RUGBY, April 8.

The following communique was issued after to-day’s sitting of the Four-Power Conference on the Danubian situation: The committee appointed by the Four-Power Conferance, yesterday, sat at the Foreign Office, and examined the main proposals put forward at the conference. A report of the proceedings will be

made to the Conference to-morrow, at ten o’clock.

It is understood that, during today’s long discussions, the delegates found problems arising which some of the Governments represented require to consider further before committing thmselvs to any definite attitude, consequently, the Conference wilj, to* . morrow, adjourn, arranging to resume at later date, possibly at Geneva, or, if more convenient, some other Continental centre. The adjournment is not likely to be of long duration, because all the Four Powers are agreed at least upon the urgency of the Danubian problem.

Meanwhile, the Governments will be able to study the questions at issue, in relation to their own individual interests, and in the interval, further information and data not at the disposal of the present Conference will be collected.

An agreement was not obtainable to-day, because delegates found themselves unable to give a definite reply on certain essential points, the main issue being whether the Governments represented would be willing to waive their rights under the most-favoured-nation clauses, in order to permit the Danubian States a little more freedom to make Customs and fiscal arrangements. The British Government take the view that rigid insistence on the most-favoured-nation rights by the great Powers must necessarily impede any measure which the Danubian States can adopt to restore the flow of normal tradeThe different economic interests of the different States concerned proved one of the obstacles which the Conference so far has failed to overcome, The British and French proposals have been taken as a basis of discussion during the Conference, and various alternative suggestions have been put forward by the German and Italian delegates. The difficulties encountered are not considered insuperable, and British circles are still hopeful that an agreed plan will before long be evolved.