AN ALLEGED INTERVIEW

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1924, Page 3

AN ALLEGED INTERVIEW

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. LLOYD GEORGE'S DEFENCE. LONDON, Feb. 8. The text of Mr Lloyd George's statement includes the following passages: “The Foreign Office letter contained the proof sheets of documents proposed to be distributed by the French Government. One was headed ‘Articles concerning the guarantees of the execution of the Treatv, as approved V"- by President Wilson and Al. Clernenceau on April 20th.’ Another was headed:—‘Treaty between France and the Failed States as approved by President Wilson and AL Clemeneeau mi April 20.’ ” Mr Lloyd George adds: “These documents must, 1 imagine, now be published. They will tell their own story. Mr Lloyd George denies that Mr > - Wilson and AL Clemeneeau concluded an agreement which was a secret compact. Air Wilson acted in perfect loyalty. Neither At. Clemencau nor ATc Wilson was responsible for Air Lloyd George being summoned to London when grave mailers were being discussed.

Afr Lloyd George concludes by quoling fully Ah .Spender’s explanation issued to press in which Mr Spender says: “T must say. on belilaf of Air Lloyd George, that lie did not authoriso the interview, f should like to corroborate his statement. If there is any carelessness in the matter, it. is entirely mine. I lake all the blame. 1 did not ask bis permsision to use anything ho said and if 1 have gone beyond what I should have repeated, T am extremely sorry. T was asked to write a description of Afr Lloyd George’s life, and T nut in a few observations bore and there.”

ftPENDER'S EXPLANATTOX. LONDON, Feb. ft. Mr 11. Spender writing in (lie “Daily .Express,” says:—“l am willing to admit I may have been indiscreet. Aly report was an accurate account of what was said. There were two other journalists presold, who can corroborate what J published. Air Lloyd George showed us a vital document, which, he complained, lie had never seen before. Jt was an agreement between Franco and the Cnitcd States.” LLOYD GEORGE’S Fl RTIfEU DEFENCE. LONDON. Fob. 7. Af.r Lloyd George, in an article in the “Daily Chronicle,” states that lie is unable to accept the views attributed to him in the “New York World” article as accurately setting out the facts of what happened at the critical moment in the Peace Conference. He declared that when lie returned to Paris from London in April 1919, he found an agreement had lieen reached by Afr Wilson and Al. Clelnonoeau on two very important Issues, firstly, the military occupation the Rhineland, and secondly, American guarantees for the French frontier against German aggression. “To describe this agreement as a secret compact between Air Wilson and At. Clemeneeau is ridiculous,” ho says. “Air Wilson acted in perfect loyalty, and blame cannot be imputed to either Afr Wilson or AL Clemeneeau. The fact that Air Wilson aml .M. Clemenccau reached an agreement was communicated to me on my return, and the agreement, regarding the occupation of l.lic Rhineland, was, after some

modification, ultimately incorporated ~ ill the Fence Treaty. The documents, when published, will lull their own talc.”' ’

Mr Lloyd George expresses regret at liis delay in replying to the Foreign Office letter. I hi., was due to the fact that the loiter was unsigned. He is of the opinion that it would have been fairer if Mr MacDonald had waited to hear his explanation before making the statement to the press, and lie" concludes “Mr MacDonald prob- ; ably will find most, if not all, of these documents have already been published by AL Mardieu in Franco and Mi' Baker 1 in America. Both of these gentlemen, i between them, published most secret documents.” ACCUSATIONS OF LYING. PARIS, Fob. 7. The press of Franco is indignant at M.r Lloyd George’s statement. The papers dwell on the fact that the accusations have been made just when Mr Wilson has died. “Le matin” says: “They knew Mr Lloyd George is capable of treating 1 historical veracity with the utmost fantasy, lint they never thought lie would go so far as to imagine a 1 secret treaty which does not exist, merely in order to flatter the Labour Party.” “Le Petit Parisien” says: “Mr Lloyd George's calumny, by its very gravity, 4k excludes all probability.” “La Gnulois” says: “Once again Mr Lloyd 'George has been taken in the very net of uttering incorrect statements.” GKB MAN COMMENT. BERLIN, Fob. 7. “Vonvaerts” says: “Whatever may have been the standpoint five years ago to-day -Mr Lloyd George makes himself a mouthpiece of the great majority of the English people, and Parliament who do not want the French troops to stay on German soil. In order to save his political existence, he is compelled to defend himself against the charge ( ,T having been partly responsible for the intolerable state of Km-ope produced by the question of the Rhineland being left open. The Lloyd George revelations occupy extensive space in the newspapers of Germany. The organ of the Centro Party (“Germany” describes the episode as the washing of the Allies’ dirty linen at an open grave. It refers to the wretched intrigues of the Allies behind the gorgeous scenes of Versailles. The paper further says: “The bad consequence of the authors of the Peace Treaty is reflected in the discord which their work left behind. ’ LONDON TIMES’ COMMENT. [“The Times” Smivick.j (Received this day at 10 n.m.) LONDON, Feb. 8. George incident tlie “Times” says: “Somebody has bungled that is all. The affair has been a succession of most unfortunate coincidences and the world will shrug its shoulders and pass oIC What Mr Lloyd George thinks or /plight alKUit the Rhineland now matters little. The whole problem has assumed a new character, and it has to be reconsidered in the light of recent It is a problem upon winch IBL. Government should concentrate its Yhief attention. AVe cannot afford to waste time on dead controversies.”

CLEMENCEATP S RETORT. PARTS, Fob. 8. M. Clemenceau, interviewed by “L’lntransigeant” reagrding tlio Lloyd George incident, laconically remarked : “Show me a secret treaty signed by Wilson and me, and I will undertake t<3 pay the whole of the reparations 1”