CABLE NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1922, Page 2

CABLE NEWS

tienoa Conference. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. HAGUE CONFERENCE. GENOA, May 17. The First Sub-Commission has finally adopted the proposal that the next conference should meet at Thp Hague. The Dutch representative undertook to afford the Soviet all facilities. It was decided that the truce remain in force for four months after The Hague meeting. The final plenary session will bo held on Friday morning, after _ which t|,e British Empire delegates will return to London. SIR F. D. BELL AT GENOA. LONDON, May 17. Sir Francis Bell has proceeded to Genoa, at the invitation of Mr Lloyd George, to represent New Zealand, during the last days of the Conference. Sir James Allen is participating in a I .'ague of Nations financial conference at Genoa. ORDERED TO DESTROY RAILWAYS GENOA, May 10. The Conference of. Allied Ambassadors has requested Germany to abandon the construction of certain railways in the Rhineland, considered of strategic importance, and to modify or destroy existing lines before the Allied occupation ends on the Rhine.

GERMAN STATEMENTS:

GENOA, May 17; M. Tehitcherin, in a statement before the First Sub-Commission, said that the appointment of two sions at The Hague seemed to the Russian delegation unfortunate, because it would only perpetuate the Genoa situation. Nevertheless the Russians accepted the proposal to meet at The Hague, but they protested against Germany's exclusion from the conference, as tiic? question of credits did not.come within the Rapallo Agreement between her and Russia. He would have much preferred to meet at Stockholm or R-igr* but be v*as ready to go to London or Rome. He welcomed the truce, which should apply to all the Allies and the Soviet republics. He wished its scope broadened to include raiding bands, such as Wrangel’s and he begged that such raiders should be removed to distant countries. . Air Lloyd George interjected: What countries? Not ours | M. Tehitcherin said that he reserved the right to suggest amendments later. He was anxious that the sub-commis-sion should have control of zones on the frontiers to prevent “incidents.” There was a certain amount of discussion as to whether the truce would bind the Far Eastern republics. Count Isliii wished to be clear on this point. K I Mr Lloyd George said he wished the pact to apply to the Asiatic, as wdl as the European frontiers. Speaking to M. Tchitcherin’s statement. Mr Lloyd George declined to deal with Germany’s admission at The Hague. He said that when it came to dealing with the commission’s report the Germans would have an equal chance of participation. Neither Rome nor London were agreeable places to the British delegation. It was desirable that the work of the commission should ■lot be prejudiced by what happened at |, : e noa. The discussion at The Hague would have an international aspect, and ; t should not be coloured by wliat had hapened at Genoa, where so wide a di\r rgeliee' had occurred as to make an '.greenient impossible. The plan was mow to see if experts could find a solution of the problems presented by the rival systems. Undoubtedly the diffi-. culty had been the gulf between these systems. He believed that the existence if the Russian peasant land ownership •’•as bringing about some approximation of the rival systems. It was unfortunate that the First of May had oc-curred-in the middle of the Conference. He believed that the May Day demonstration at Moscow lind bad a repercussion on Genoa. There certainly would bo two commissions sitting at The Hague. He begged M. Tehitcherin t? look upon the organisation as a practical tiling, and not make any difference over its form. He said he thought too much was made of Wrangel’s bands, which were a greater trouble to the countries harbouring them than to Rus«;n. The latter gained enormously by the foot that all the countries were now bound by a truce, thus giving a chance of things calming down in both Russia and elsewhere. Nothing amazed him more than the way that statesmen compared the inoffensiveness of their own statesmen with the _ wickedness of ntbe-'s. M. Tehitcherin wanted them > - Uo.-c H«o Russian leadens possessed all the Christian virtues, while the other countries were always plotting and scheming. He hoped that -when the truce was signed all would keep it. LORD GREY’S VIEWS. LONDON. May 17.

Viscount Grey, in a letter to the National Liberal Federation said that the Genoa Conference provided an example of tactics which should be It had failed to secure the end desired. A close understanding with France and co-operation of the United States were certainly desirable. The supporters of the Prime Minister, however, had acclaimed the Genoa Confernce as to h.s political erdit. This created the impression that it was in some way connected with British domestic politics. Its chances of success were thus impaired. France was filled, with distrust The United States refused to participate in the Genoa Conference. The conference had become a sort of international gamble. A close understanding with France and the goodwill of the United States was the only sound foundation for economic and financial reconstruction. The Coalition Government was a source of instability and danger when it was being continued long after the war.