GENOA CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1922, Page 3

GENOA CONFERENCE

Australian and n.z. cable association

A CRISIS ARISES. NEW YORK, April 15. The “Times’s” Genoa correspondent states that, after two days' fruitless .waiting for the Russians to reply to the Allied propsals, II r Lloyd sunv inoned a conference between M. Barthou, Signor Schanzer, JI. Tbeunys, M. Teliitclierin, and j$L Litvinoff to endeavour to persuade the Russians to , alter their attitude. It is undrstood the Russians are opposing all the Allied plans. It is understood Mr Lloyd George has succeeded in lessening the ph;anco-Russian .friction. The centre of gravity has changed from the conference proper to the socalled informal conversations at the Villa Albert, the resident** of Air Lloyd George. It recalls what happened in Paris in 1919, when the Peace Conference resolved itself into the Big I* oui. Genoa is seething with rumours 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 tl® maximum of their wants. Two chief points round which a strong fight is proceeding are the recognition of the debts of the old regime, and rights of. private properfy. At times there were serious phases in the divergences between the delegates. It can be said that no distinct advance was made.

POSITION OF RUSSIA. LONDON, April i 5. The Australian Press Association s representative at Genoa states: The" have been prolonged informnl discussions between Mr Lloyd George, M. Barthdu, M. Thennis, M. Tehitcherin, AL Litvinoff, and M. Krnssin. They took place at Lloyd George’s villa and lasted throughout the day. They are expected to occupy all Saturday. The conversations turn on certain points in the Allied experts’ report on Russia which the Russians desire to hnv* elucidated before framing their reply thereto. It is unlikely that the First Commission will resumo I ts delibciations before Tuesday.

DLSARMAMEAT. PARIS. April 14

A member of th* French Cabinet ha* announced that it land disarmament is discussed at Genoa, the French delegation will he instructed to refrain from participating. the cabinet view beinjj that the matter should bo left to the League of Nations.

PARIS, April 14

Premier Poincare has officially announced that France will not join in a discussion on land disarmament at the Genoa Conference.

EXPERT WANTED. GENOA, April 13

Sir Basil Blackett, Controller* and Financier of the British Treasury, lias been called to the committee of financial experts to evolve a basis of report to the conference financial committee on Saturday.

ECONOMIC C(INFERENCE. GENOA, April 16

The Economic Commission lengthily discussed the exchange of raw materials. Baldese an Italia** Socialist de puty, submitted a motion that the absence of the Economic equilibrium caused a rivalry between the nations. Tliprefore the monopoly over raw materials would require national regulation both in the interests of producing countries and states wishing to produce raw materials; also that an informational consortium should •jmtrol prices dis tribution in regard to wool, cotton, cial, flax and hemp. r «ie sub-cammis-sion approved of the motion on fundamental principles with some reserve o on the proposition to establish an uternational consortium. Small powers which were not represented at Villa Albertis are becoming restive and demoralising Signor Facta to summon the first sub-commission to consider the de. tails. There have been informal conversations as far as tliey have gone. The Russians are making counter claim. o for expenses incurred in resisting the attacks by Wrnngel, TColtchnlr and Deniken, but the Allies point out that the Brest T.itovsk moo made between. Russia and Germany rttused expenses to them far out-weighing the Bolshevist claims and it is quite unlikely thev would entertain them,

RUSSIAN CLAIMS. '.Received Tliis Da- ar 8 111) n.m.) GE v OA, April 17

Russians claim 3,50{> m.llion sterling as an indemnity on account of actions already cabled and an additional 1,500 million on account of the occupation of Bessarabia and Georgia.

CONFERENCE MATTERS. j GENOA, April 17. In reference to the raw materials resolution, a misconception arose tliroiipjli the Italian economic committee holding a meeting in Palazzo Reale. It was this committee which adopted the resolution cabled, not the conference sub-commit-tee, hut as Baldose and Cabrini ' who promoted the motion in the Italian eonitee are members of the Conference Economic Committee, Italy’s action over raw materials requires wntuliing. Sir J. Cook took immediate action to investigate matters and brought the proposals to the notice of Bahlcse colr) leagues. GERMANY AND RUSSIA. GENOA, April 17. Germans have concluded an economic agreement with Russia. It provides dr jures recognition of the Soviet, restoration of diplomatic relations, and reciprocal favoured nation treatment. Tins has caused a sensation at the Confer-

ence. bolshevlK statemen t. ‘Received This Day at 10.15 n.m.) GENOA, April I<. A Bolshevik official made a statement that though the Rucso-German agreement had «a used a sensation and would produce an allied charge that we failed to keep our pledges to confine ourselves to the conference agenda it should he pointed out that negotiations for the agreement set aside the Brest-Litov.sk Treaty, and place both countries on the basis of complete equality, enabling common co-opera-tive efforts towards the highest economic development pf both countries,