WORLD POLICY

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6153, 10 August 1921, Page 5

WORLD POLICY

WASHINGTON CONFERENGE WILL LLOYD GEORGE ATTEND? A RUMOR DENIED. (United Press Association—Copyright.) i PARIS, Aug. 8. Mr Lloyd George informed British and American journalists that he would not be able to attend the Washington Conference. TOKIO, Aug. 8. Count Hara, interviewed ; denied the statements credited to him that Japan was determined such questions as Yap and Shantung should be excluded from the Washington discussions. Japan expected a preliminary conference. Count Hara said: >; “All we ask was indicated in the Note* of July 26,, wherein we stated we deemed it advisable that the agenda be arranged before the conference was convened.

Beyond that we are quite willing accept Mr Harding’s invitation ' for whatever time and place he names.”—A. and N.Z.C.A. WASHINGTON, Aug. 8. China has accepted November 11 for the date of the iisarmament conference.—A. and N.Z.C.A.

(Received Aug. 9, 11 p.m.) LONDON. Aug. 8.

The Daily Chronicle’s Paris correspondent says that Lloyd George has not informed the journalists that he is not going to Washington. “I am informed that Air Lloyd George intends to accept Mr Harding’s invitation to visit Washington as the official British represen tative.”

Mr Lloyd George’s announcement; in Paris that he will not attend the Washington conference surprised London Government circles, which attribute the_ decision to the enormous accumulation of work requiring his personal attention during" the autumn. It is further suggested that the anticipated development in the Irish situation caused the Premier to change his mind. Some people are inclined to associate the change of plan with the possibility of a general election in the autumn. —Times. PARIS. Aug. 8.

Reuter’s agency is authorised to state that neither the delegation nor the Embassy made any statement regarding Mr Lloyd George’s intention in the matter of going to America. Moreover Mr Lloyd George saw no American journalists.—A, and N.Z.C.A.