Washington Conference.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1922, Page 2

Washington Conference.

CABLE NEWS.

(From the Special Representative of the Australian Press Association.) FRANCE AND BRITAIN. STARTLING SUGGESTION. NEW YORK, December 31. Mr Wickliam Steed, editor of “The Times”, in a speech at a farewell banquet to editors attending the Washington Conference declared there had been signs that officials in England were considering a plan for giving security to France by arranging that the principal European Allies should jointly and severally guarantee the neutrality of the Rhineland. He trusted that means would be found to remove from France the burden of her war debt to England. PARIS, December 30. - The “Matin” referring to the British Press comments on the attitude of France ah Washington sayfe: “It is, rather strong that England who reserved •to herself a monopoly of the maritime offensive after we had eaerified half our tonnage in capital ships should dare to accuse us of Imperialism—an England that refused us an alliance and destroyed the German warships.” The “Matin” also refers to “the Divine law that England should exercise a hegemony of Europe.”

EX-GERMAN ALLOCATION DISCUSSED. , WASHINGTON, December 3i. The question of allocation of ex-Ger-man cables was informally discussed today by delegates from the United States, Britain, France, Italy Japah and the Netherlands. When the United States and Japan settled the Yap controversy it was left understood that the disposition of other cables centring at the island would be the subject of diplomatic representation, of all the Powers interested under the Treaty of Berlin. The United States reserved rights were the cessation of these cables to the Allied Powers, subject to the equity of German and other nationals. Dutch nationals possessed certain rights in the German company owning the cables, and in order to meet these considerations the United States suggested that the Netherlands should take the Yap-Men-ado cable, Japan the Yap-Shanghai cable, and the United States the YapGuam cable with all rights preserved in Yap as a clearing station, Germany being credited with the value of. the cables in reparation accounts. Britain and France assented to the arrangements. The United States already had done so. The Italian and Netherlands delegates referred the matter to their home governments for formal approval. Japan is undertaking further to lay a line to Shanghai, that cable having l>een diverted to Japan during the war.

The question of Atlantic cables was not considered.

PORTUGAL’S WOES. THE LATEST REVOLUTION. PARIS, January 1. The absence of news from Portugal is giving rise to many sensational rumours. It is known that the police discovered a bomb factory in the offices of the General Federation of Labour and arrested Azevedo,- a leading revolutionary- It is believed this resulted in the revolutionary outbreak. The Government has resigned and troops surround Lisbon. j VARIOUS REPORTS. \ 1 WASHINGTON, Jan 1. Yesterday’s proceedings seem to have cleared up the Anglo-French discord at any rate for the present; frankness and compliments alike helped to end the misunderstanding. M. Sarraut announced his satisfaction with the present situation. The Koreans are petitioning for the hearing of a petition signed by every class and opinion from the Korean Royal family downwards alleging the Japanese are crushing their nation and declaring that peace in Asia cannot be secured without restoring Korean independence.