MR. LLOYD GEORGE AND THE SOVIET

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 33, 3 November 1919, Page 6

MR. LLOYD GEORGE AND THE SOVIET

A REMARKABLE STATEMENT BEHIND THE SCENES IN BRITISH POLITICS • ■(London "Times" Correspondent.) New York, September 13. . One of the remarkable statements made by ilr. William C. BuUitt, the former export of the American Peace Commission, in his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committeo yesterday, was that after Mr. Lloyd Georgo hud denied in tho House of Commons that approaches had been tliß Bus--1 einn Soviet Government to the Allies his secretary, Mr. Philip Kerr, called on him (Mr. Bullitt) and "apologised for ' liis chief's action." "Mr. Kerr explained," said Mr. Bullitt to the Committee, "that when Mr. Hoyd George got homo intending to recommend favourable action on the Soviet proposal, he found that Lord Northcliffe and Mr. Winston Churchill had rigged lip a Conservative majority which intended to slay him if he did so." "In dealing with Mr. Lloyd Georgo," said Mr. Bullitt to the Committee, commenting on thelatter's statement to the House of' Commons., "you must remember that you cannot take any of Iris public ytatonients seriously." The following is Mr. JWlitt'n version of the renesis of the Prinkino Conference negotiations which took n'ac with tho ' I.en : n Government, and Mr. Lloyd Gorge's y'w in t.lie matter. "In early .Tannarv." he said, "Air. Lloyd Owe made pronosalc at a. mec,lin!rV,f all the K-n«sia« fai>ts'op».i" Paris. Tteading frr.'ii the minutes of the conference of *'he Council of Ten wlii<>H took place o" .Ti>nnn"v 21, Ar '' Bullitt paid thnt after T) re=ide , 't Wilf.i" h»d su<?i*est"d tl"t Hie meeting should take tfnen father Fist. it wes final 1 '; " Treed.' ! i> suite of If. Clem»'ic»an'= objections. f.'"it Mv. Wilsoi draft the plan for the Prinlcipo meeting..

.Secret Russian Mission. .ThS proposal later fell through, Mr. Bullitt added, owing to French opposition, hut "Mr. Lloyd Georgo was still determined on some such meeting, and I Arranged a conference between Ir'.m and Colonel House for February 24, to discuss, how it con'el bo'brought about.' On February 19 It. Clemenceiui was phot. Mr. Lloyd George telephoned from London saying, that since M.. Clwnonceau had been "shot he (M. Clemenceaul "was bc.?H of the most." _ and it was useless • to .".ttempt anything in opposition to his wi=hes. "The Prnkipo plan was dropped." said Mr. Bullitt, "and I wis sont to "Russia to find out. how the fighting coui'd be stopned, and to get Wk. a.g quickly as possibln with the Soviet Government's proposal." Tho journey was kopt secret from the other Allied representatives except the British —"tho United States Mission had practically had no secrets from the British Mission," said Mr. Bullitr. He then rend to the Committee the proposition from Lenin's Government, which ho said had never been -made ■ public in Paris. Colonel House, who (said Mr. Bullitt) was enthusiastically in favour of making peace 011 the basis laid down in tho Lenin proposal, discussed the matter at some length with Mr. I/loyd George and General Smuts. , General Smuts (Slid it should not be allowed to lapse. Mr. Lloyd George. however, --Jit. BulJitt added, said hie did not know about British nuhlic opinion. Ho (Mr. Lloyd George) had a copy of the "Dar'ly Mail," a.nd called attention to its athitude, and asked how- ho oould be expected to do anything "in face of that sort of thing." ' / Search for an Envoy.

1 Mr. Lloyd George (continued Mr. Bullitt) said 6(onie one should bo sent to Russia who was known co the world ag a complete Conservative, and remarked, "I wonder if Lord Lansdowne Would go," but. said 'Mr] Bullitt, he ([uieldy uddod, No, they would probably kill him." Mr. Lloyd George «iid he wished either Lord Robert Cecil or General Smufs would go. and finally ho discussed Bending Lord Salisbury. Mr. Bullitt added that Mr. Lloyd George UTged him to mato his report public. "I attempted to,'' said .Mr. Bullitt. "I submitted it to the Commission, but there was no man; willing to nssnmo responsibility for its publication." Referring to Mr. Lloyd George's statement to tho House of Commons, Mr. Bullitt said "it was the mcst egregious case of misleading the public ever known." In the course of his evidence Mr. Bullitt mroted a statement which be savs Mr. Lansing made to him on May 19 last, to tho effect that "if the Senate understand-!, and if Hie American people understand, this Treaty, it will bo 1 defeated." I.According to Mi\ Bullitt. Mr. Lansing added that the Leagii9 of Nations yaa utterly useless." and parts of the Treaty "thoroughly bad."