GENOA CONFERENCE

Southland Times, Issue 19512, 11 May 1922, Page 5

GENOA CONFERENCE

THE RUSSIAN MEMORANDUM FRENCH ADHERENCE ATTITUDE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY MAINTAINED. (By Telegraph.—Press Asen.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS, May 10. (Received May 10, 9.5 pjn.) President Millerand has returned and attended a Cabinet meeting which unanimously approved the decision to adhere to the Russian memorandum subject to modification of Article 7, but there will be np compromise on the subject of private property in Russia. The Petit Parislen states that the British and Italian delegates have arrived at a formula which will facilitate agreement with Russia. The proposal is to leave Article 7, regarding the restoration of private property, out for the present, allowing each country to negotiate separately with the Soviet on the question. The British delegation also propose that the pact be signed only for five years, making no reference to existing treaties, in order not to involve neutral countries. It As also not regarded as essential that all countries should sign. THE RUSSIAN REPLY AN ARGUMENTATIVE DOCUMENT GENOA, May 9. (Received May 10, 11.45 p.m.) The Russians have communicated the general trend of their reply to the Allied memorandum, which will be presented on Wednesday. The reply is apparently long and argumentative. The Russian delegates declare that the note has been prepared in a spirit of conciliation. After disagreeing with some of the memorandum proposals, the hope is expressed that difficulty will not present itself in eliminating the political features of the memorandum, inasmuch as the Russians have generally endeavoured to bridge the conflicting social and economic systems. The desire is emphasised that the negotiations will not be ruptured, and it is declared that the Russo-British trade agreement, if not wholly, satisfactory, has resulted in the two countries becoming less distant. They think the Genoa Conference has proved of great help. Regarding the clause dealing with the restitution ’of private property, the reply holds that the world must accustom itself to the fact of the existence of a European State whose life is based essentially on a system of State property. A VATICAN REQUEST GENOA, May 10. (Received May 10, 9.5 pjn.) The Vatican has demoralised the Conference requesting that any agreement sought by Russia should secure religious tolerance, freedom of worship, and security of religious property in Russia. The reply to the Allies’ memorandum is expected to-morrow. THE TIMES’S ASSERTION REITERATED AND EMPHASISED LONDON, May 9. (Received May 10, 9.30 p.m.) Mr Wickham Steed, The Times’s special representative A Genoa, telegraphs: “In reference to Mr Lloyd George’s denial, I have no hesitation in affirming that the substance of Mr Lloyd George’s words to M. Barthou was as I gave. Also he afterwards repeated the statement to others. Indeed, he has repeatedly made analagous or identical statements, both privately and officially during the Conference. There is no doubt whatever that he clearly gave M. Barthou to understand that inasmuch as France preferred Belgium’s friendship to British, he must not be surprised if Britain regarded the Entente as ended.” Mr Wickham Steed adds: “According to German sources Mr Lloyd George urged Wirth and Rathenau yesterday to use their influence to persuade the Bolsheviks to accept a concerted European document. The Germans used the opportunity to split the Allies.” The limes adds: “Further confirmation of Mr Lloyd George’s statement to M. Barthou comes from our correspondent, Mr Ward Price, at Genoa, who states that M. Barthou gave him a straightforward account of what passed with Mr Lloyd George, in which M. Barthou affirms that Mr Lloyd George said: ‘We have come to the parting of the ways.’ ” FRENCH CORRESPONDENT’S STATEMENT. REVELATIONS SHORT QF THE TRUTH PARIS, May 9. (Received May 10, 11.45 pjn) The Genoa correspondent of the Journal de Debate telegraphs that Mr Lloyd George in all his recent conversations, whether official or unofficial, particularly with M. Barthou and M. Benes, announced the imminent end of the Franco-British Entente. His denial is merely playing upon words. The revelations which have been made even fall short of the truth. NEWSPAPER PLEASANTRIES. LONDON, May 9. A typically British touch is added to the keen controversy in London, and Paris regarding the Times’s attitude over the Genoa Conference. The evening News following the lead of other Northcliffe papers ifesuod a poster to-day;—“Wo stand by France and Belgium.” Immediately the Pall Mall Gazette had ©a the streets another poster declaring; “We gt&nd by Britain-” FRENCH GOODWILL TOWARDS BRITAIN PARIS, May 9. M. Poincare, in a letter to Lord Hardinge, clears up the dissatisfaction in British circles at Genoa created by a former statement expressing French sympathy with Belgium and omitting sympathy towards England. M. Poincare points out that every B’renchman preserves a precious memory of the two countries’ wartime co-operation, and desires whole-heartedly the permanence of cordial relations, but on the question of general interest and private property it is natural that between two allies with whom France is in equal sympathy she cannot disavow those who think like her.