GENOA CONFERENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18458, 17 April 1922, Page 5

GENOA CONFERENCE.

FINANCIAL PROPOSALS. ACCEPTED BY GERMANY. GENOA, April 14. Germany has accepted the Allied experts’ financial proposals, but insists that the reparations be considered -in balancing the national budgets.—A. and N.Z. cable.

RUSSIA AND THE ALLIES. A BIG STUMBLING BLOCK. CAUSING MUCH FRICTION. Received April 16, 5.5 p.m. NEW YORK, April 14

The Times’ Genoa correspondent states that after two (lays’ fruitless waiting for the Russians’ reply to the Allied proposals, Mr Lloyd George has summoned a conference between Barthon, Schanzer, Theunys, Tchitcherin and Livinoff to endeavour to persuade the Russians to alter their attitude. It is understood the Russians are opposing all the Allied plans but it is understood Mr Lloyd George has succeeded in lessening the Franco-Russian friction MR LLOYD GEORGE SUMS UP. Received April 16, 11.5 p.m. LONDON, April 15. Mr Lloyd George, with characteristic phraseology, describes the position. “We are getting a bridge across the stream; we have driven a number of piles. Now we have reached the deepest, most dangerous part of the current, where a few piles have been already driven in and seem firmly fixed.”

WHAT WILL THE RUSSIANS DO? Received April 16, 11.5 p.m. LONDON, April 15. From various sources it is learned that the Russians remain intransigent on the question of law courts. There is much propaganda going on. M. liakowsky speaks openly in one direction, whilst his colleagues who are thrashing out details with Allied representatives apparently speak with a different voice. Various rumours as to what the Russians will do and will not do are eagerly fastened upon by foreign journalists, especially the Germans, who lay unjustifiable stress on these canards. It can be definitely said that no party to these discussions has at the moment said “So far will we go, but no further.” A statement by German journalists that an ultimatum has been handed to the Russians is absolutely untrue. Experts of the Allies, together with Russian experts, conferred this morning, aud are expected to submit their vews to the delegates at the Villa Albertis this afternoon. During the conversations at the Villa, Krassin was requested to furnish a report on European reconstruction from the Russian standpoint. In the Villa discussions, France took little part. The weight of the battle fell upon Mr Lloyd George and Herr Schanzer, but M. Barthou, while sympathetic towards his allies, felt that he could safely leave negotiations to them.

The view taken by Mr Lloyd George and his colleagues is that if they cannot get a general agreement with minimum guarantees by their effort, it will be useless to leave the subject to the larger first commission to sort out. GENOA, April 15. Discussions at the Villa continue, and have considerably cleared the air. It is not intended that decisions and agreements shall be made, but merely general understandings. The Russians gave interesting accounts of the feelings of their people, the masses of whom are ignorant, yet are convinced that there is a new world. Although chaos reigned all around, they were now endeavouring to create a new position out of this wreckage, yet they were confronted with demands for the payment of debts contracted by the old regime, and were unable at present to find the money. The British view, in reply, was that they must recognise that they do owe the money, which is due to private individuals, whose claims cannot be wiped out. It is understood there is not likely to be any serious impasse on the question of these prewar debts. War debts stand on a different footing in the eyes of the Allies. They are debts from Governments to Governments, and therefore can be negotiated between the Governments, and so far as Britain and others are concerned, they do not want to press the Russians too hard in the difficulties under wihch they groan. The Allies are prepared to consider the difficulties but the signature of Russia must be respected. The question of the restitution of private property is a more difficult problem. It is immensely troublesome to devise a practical method, as everything Is nationalised. Russia must, therefore, discover a basis of compensation. but even here the problem Is not insoluble. The Russians have submitted practical proposals for restitution, but these require examination. It is likely, as so many points have cropped up on which the Russian delegation is not fully instructed, that the conversations will be suspended for a few days to enable them to consult Moscow.

A RUMOUR HUNTING GROUND. HARD BARGAINING. FIGHT FOR CAPITALISM. Received April 16, 5.5 p.m. GENOA, April 5. The centre of gravity has changed from the conference proper to the socalled informal conversations at Villa Albert, the residence of Mr Lloyd George. It recalls what happened in Paris in 1919, when the Peace Conference resolved itself into the Big Fcur. Genoa is seething with ru- i

incurs, mostly wide of the mark, about what is happening in the Villa Albert, where the Russian question is being discussed. Naturally, those concerned in the discussions are laying down the maximum of their wants. The two chief points, round which a strong fight is proceeding, are recognition of the debts of the old regime and the rights of private property. At times there were serious phases in the divergences between the delegates, and it can be said that no distinct advance' was made.