GENOA CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 May 1922, Page 3

GENOA CONFERENCE

CABLE NEWS.

ALLIES AND RUSSIA. REPLY TO RUSSIAN NOTE. IMPORTANT PROPOSALS. AVRCHALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. This bay at 8 ft.m.) GENOA, Ap T il 25/ Tcliitcheriii has written to Signor Facta requesting the reason for delay in summoning the first commission, declaring if it is not convenient and no reply is received to the Russian letter of the 20th to Lloyd George accepting the conditions, he will be compelled to withdraw his offer. The Allies Note is not yet completed, but the preamble ' was issued this evening. It states the

Allies have given profound consideration to the condition of Russia; and that they sincerely desire the establishment of friendly relations amongst European nations, amongst whom Russia might take her place. They recognise Russia’s resources have been drained during the past eight years and that misery, famine and privation would continue, constituting a plague spot of increasing menace to the European system. The Powers are anxious to avert such a fate falling upon Russia, but her reconstruction is impossible, without assistance of western capital. When the nationals of other countries are guaranteed safety in doing business they will hasten to her assistance. Her economic resources are paralysed, _ not destroyed. Industrial Europe can furnish her requirements as soon as guarantees are forthcoming and debts recognised. Several countries are prepared to form a consortium providing an initial capiital of twenty millions, while some countries are prepared to finance their nationals in Russia. The British Government would make use of the Trade Facilities Act, and Export Credit Act. France is unable to provide financial help,.hut is prepared to join in the consortium and also to supply seed, agricultural and other machinery with trained workers. Italy will take up twenty per cent of the consortium capital and assist in agricultural organisation. .Japan will grant a credit of eight million yen to the Russian Trading Company, Belgium 250 francs, to assist export trade, ' also twenty per cent of the consortium enpital and help private mining and other enterprises. Only two articles of the Sole are completed, and it is not likely to he handed to the Russians before the early part of the week. The first article deals with propaganda. It has Iweii de- - eided that the Soviet must refrain from propaganda, both socially and territorially, and must clearly understand there must be no agitation against the defacta frontiers established under Hiexisting treaties. The second article deals .with thmethod of writing down the debts. It was suggested that the writing down should he done by either an Inteinntional Court of Justice under the League of Nations, or l>.v the American ~ Supreme Court. The question was referred to the' legal experts committee. LONDON, April 29 The Australian press correspondent at Genoa states M. Bratiano was responsible for securing the reference to the frontiers in article one. Lloyd George while in full accord with Roumanians claim to Bessarabia, thought such disturbing questions as the frontiers should be excluded from the text of the Note, and lie-dealt with in the pact against aggression. Neutral countries abstained from voting on the point, but the Little Entente was extremely nervous as. a result of the Russo-German

agreement. There lias been much discussion over the article in the .Note dealing with •'viva te properties, and efforts are being made to devise a formula which while not liurting the sensitiveness of the Bolsheviks, will give the Allies the guarantees they require.

ITALIAN ENQUIRY. GENOA, April 00,

Signor Stur«o, of the Italian Poplar Party, and .Michaels (Emigration Party) interviewed Sir Joseph Cook with a view to ascertaining what were the openings for Italian agriculturists in Australia, to which Italians were looking, owing to the restrictions in America and Cntlada. Cook promises to consider and report after consulting the authorities in London.

CONFERENCE DISCUSS!ON. 'Received This Dav at 10.15 a.m.) GENOA, April 29. At the raw materials commission, Rossi said he wished t.'- ? Commission had given more consideration to workers and manufacturing nations.

Mr Shepherd interposed thn 1 workers in the primary producing countries have equal claims. Rossi said that export duties skoull Ik l limited to ten or tif een per cent. The British delegate replied that if a figure were inserted in the recommendation it should not be less than twenty-five. The British proposals were not to restrict freedom of action in primary products. Rossi declined the proposal and declared lip was prepared to contest the point in full at the Conference. The Signatories to the Versailles Treaty are meeting at San Remo at an early date.

TWO FRENCH VIEWS. PARIS, April 30.

M. Poineaire has submitted to Cabinet a counterplan to the Genoa Pact of non-aggression. Cabinet considers it absolutely necessary to include a clause concerning the application of sanctions, if Germany defaults regarding reparations. , The “Oeuvre” states —Let M. Poincaire be not deceived. Never has the public opinion of France been more in contradiction with the newspapers supposed to represent i*. The majority ot the French people will not have war at any price or under any pretext. No reasonable Frenchman can fail to perceive that France’s present policy of provocation is inevitably tending towards another butchery. Is it not enough that 1,500.000 Frenchmen lie dead. _____

DISCUSSION AT PLENARY CONFERENCE. .Received This Day at 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 30. The Australian Press Association’s Genoa correspondent says the wisdom of the Australian direct representation at the Conference found ample justification in the debate opened at the plenary s ssion of the Economic Commission. IVhen article 45 of the London Experts report came under review, Rossi (Italian) raised the question of distribution of control*and prices of raw materials. The British delegate did not believe it was possible to prevent conn trios placing a restriction on the expdrt of raw materials, if their fiscal requirements demanded it. The German delegate expressed himself as in accord with the Italians in principle, but could not accept the abolition of the right to import and export taxation.

The French delegate pointed out that the various phases of the question had already been thrashed out before the League of Nations Assembly.

Sir Joseph Cook strongly opposed any interference with revenue or national necessities, in regard to the export ol Australian products, declaring emphatically we will not give up our rights over our raw materials. The discussion waxed warm between those producing primary materials and the manufacturing nations. The latter jealously maintained the right to impose export duties if necessary, while desiring the producing countries of raw materials to have some form of eontiol. Eventually the Little Entente, broke away, joining forces with the raw material countries.

The debate continues, but it is unlikely the Italian proposal will he entertained.

ALLIED NOTE. (Received This Day at 10.15 a.m.)

LONDON, April 30. • The Australian Press . Association Genoa, correspondent states clause two of the Note to Russia provides that 1 any balance standing to the credit of i former Russian. Governments in countries which made! advances to tier be- • tween August, 1914, and November, ( 1917, shall be transferred to the Gov- ; ernnient which made the advance, and the Soviet’s liability reduced pro tnnto. Tho remaining eight clauses are : not yet finally settled. Clauses three and four provide for Soviet recogni- j tion of the debts contracted by it or ; its predecessors with foreign nationals; also those incurred by locals. Clause five insists on the recognition, of plicate property claims, either by the , enjoyment of similar property or com- . pensation bv bonds approved by a ; (nixed tribunal. Clauses six and seven i deermAie that the amounts payable . by the Soviet shall be satisfied liy new j five per cent gold bonds, with fifty j years currency, taxation free: also how the remission of interest may bo . dealt with, if Russian economic con-| ditions so require. Clause eight deals! with the creation of ft mixed arbitrn- I tion tribunal. Clauses nine and ten . with the administration of justice on j the lines of the Allied experts’ report, 1 and conditions under which foreigners | reside and trade with Russia, on tho i recommendations of the same report, i Tchitchcrin’s letter has not yet been submitted to tho sub-commission. It is generally regarded as based on a false assumption that the Peace Pact has not gone beyond the stage of recording the opinions of the various nations. It is recognised it will take considerable time to draft, owing to the highly controversial subject of disputed Eastern frontiers. j Tho Pope’s powerful appeal addressed to Gnspnrie. for the fullest assistance to Russia hv the Powers has given lively satisfaction in conference biroles.

Mr Lloyd George says the letter has given great satisfaction to Christian Powers at Genoa.

THF. POPE’S LETTFJR. .Received This Dav at 10.15 a.m ) ; ROME, April 30. 1 The “ Ohservatore”. publishes a letter from the Pope to Cardinal Gkisparie. expressing, appreciation of the nations’ efforts at Genoa, to bring peace to the world. It w'ill mean tin salvation of humanity if the Confeienco succeeds. Civilisation will he brought to ruin if it fails. i GENOA, April 30. | Horn Lloyd George warmly applauds the terms of the Pope’s letter. The Holy Father speaks with a, knowledge of conditions in Western Europe. So clear a pronouncement in favour of peace with Russia is » great asset to the Conferom-e. The Soviet has issued a decree fixing the peace army at 2.5(10,000. and the war strength at 5,000,000, with two million women volunteers.