CONFERENCE AT SPA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 257, 24 July 1920, Page 7

CONFERENCE AT SPA

STATEMENT BY MR. LLOYD i GEORGE RUSSIA AND POLAND GERMAN DISARMAMENT AND REPARATION By Telegraph-Press, Asßooiatioa-Copyrljlit (Rec. July 24, '0.40 a.m.) London, July 22. Mr. Lloyd George made a statement in, the House of Commons regarding the Spa Conference. He said he was | very hopeful that Turkey would sign the Treaty, because the Turks would recognise that this was the best means of enabling tho Porte to retain the Dominions left her, ,an<i start life on a surer and j' sounder basis. The Question of Poland. The question of Poland lmd given the Allies great anxiety. The Polish attack on Russia was reckless and foolish, and the only excuse was that tne Bolsheviks in terfered in Polish' affairs. Poland was

legitimately afraid of Soviet Russia, and nnxious to have a buffer State. An independent Poland was essential to the whole fabric of peace. If the Bolsheviks overran Poljiud they, marched right up to the German frontier.' That would bo a great ■ temptation to Germany, and would afford a cheap way for l the Germans to escape :their obligations. There were millions of trained men in Germany, The offect of the Bolsheviks overrunning Poland might be io deprive the Allies of the fruits of victory. Therefore the. Allies concluded that they, must take,steps to arrest the destruction of Poland and the march of tho Bolshevik armies through' Poland. ,

Note to Soviet Government. ; The Note sent from Spa to tbo. Soviet Government was sent with the "full consent of the Allies. It "was made clear to Poland by the Allies that they would assist Poland to defend herown frontiers and her own independence. The Polish Premiet undertook to withdraw the, Polish army to the legitimate frontiers of Poland, defend - the frontiers and seek peace onthat lusis. Mr. Lloyd Georgo/ described the Soviet Government's reply , as ambiguous arid largely propaganda. So far as lie understood it 1 the Soviet said they were willing to negotiate with Poland directly. They alleged that the Allies treated Poland badly in fixing the boundary. Thiey wanted to give more to Poland and promised to consider, an armistice in a friendly spirit. Apparently they were only prepared to discuss the matter with a proletariat Government. The Soviet was not entitk<l to dictate to Poland what sort of Government she should have. In order to test the Soviet's bona fides the Allfes advised Poland to apply to the Soviet for an armistice, with a view'-to making peace.' "In. our reply to Moscow," the Premier continued, "we. were bound to make. it clear that if, despite the Polish ■ application for an armistice, this Russian armies still marched on, we would give Poland such assistance as we_ could. "We were bound to do everything in our power to avert wiping out-Poland, which would lio fatal to the peace of Europe." The Premier stated that the Russian, dekvgates coming to England would remain at Reval pending the Soviet's furtherreply. Peace 'was a question of time, however pressing, and France and Britain had sent envoys to Poland to investigate the question of, assisting the people to defend the frontiers. '

Germans' Reparation Sciteme. , ■ Refer>.ug, to Germany, Mr, ,' Lloyd. George thought Hen- Felirenbach and Herr von Simons' honourable and upright men, who wore doing their best to cope with gigantic difficulties, but the Allies, were not confident that' they could cany out the Treaty. Regarding; reparations, he emphasised tlio fact that tho Allies , had reached a complete understanding thereon. The scheme submitted by the Germans for liquidating the reparations was most valuable as giving clear proof that the Germans were making a real effort .to grapple with the problem of the indemnity. There was no attempt at evasion. The Coal Question, Dealing with tKo arrangements over tho cofi;l question, Mr. Lloyd George said ■that no doubt tho population of Germany were gravely underfed. Figures wero submitted showing fhat the infantile mortality was appalling, while investigations bore out the ; assortion that tho miners were unable to produce a quota of the coal required because they w*re underfed. Therefore, arrangements were, made that more than half the value of the coal' produced would be advanced to provide them with necessary Sood and clothing. The Conference had made arrangements to deaV effectively with the war criminals at an early date.. Progress of CSarmament. • Regarding disarmament, Kie Premfer expressed the opinion that thq-naval portion would tie completed by {he end of September. Gonaiderab'/e progress wao also made with the military programme, but there were sttk' three million unsurrendered rifles iii TJermahy, while, although ' twenty-Aye thousand guns had been surrendered, only about half hail been destroyed. : Tho Allies were now destroying a thousand weekly. It w;aa ostimated there wero still about nine hundred thousand armea men in Germany, also too much war material spread about the country. The position was dangerous, and the Allies therefore insisted on tho issue of a proclamation demanding tho surrender of rifles by September. Mr. Asquith, while regretting that tho Powers had not succeeded in preventing Poland from embarking upon a foolish adventure, agreed that Poland must not bo overrun by the Bolsheviks. ' The Allies should take steps, on. the initiative of the League of Nations. . Mr. Lloyd George, • intervening, said one of the most vehement portions of tho Bolshevik reply was a refusal f o havo anything to do with the League. Mr. Asquith, .continuing, expressed satisfaction that tho Spa Conference saw the desirableness of revising the Treaty with regard to coal. and disarmament. He hoped that consideration would be further extended as experience, was gained of tho working of the Treat)'. Mr.' Lloyd George, replying to questions. disclaimed British' responsibility for General Wrangel's, operations. The Bolshevik reply offered an amnesty to Wrangel. We were anxious for peaco on tlio basis of tho independence of Poland. Ho referred to the false impressions in Russia as regards the British, which made negotiations for peace almost -impossible.' He believed the Bolshoviks would be greatly mistaken if tliey invaded Poland, where the forces wero more formidable than they imagined.—Reuter.