SOVIET RUSSIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1924, Page 3

SOVIET RUSSIA.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.z. CABLE ASSOCfATION. ANGLj,)-]?USSIAN CONFERENCE DELEGATES PLEASED WTTII AVELCOME. LONDON, April U. Tile Dussian .Mission of about twenty members, including eleven delegates besides experts and beaded by Bukovsky, arrived in taxicabs at the Foreign Office this morning, closely followed by an escort of detectives. —Mr -MacDonald presided at tbc C.inference, wliich was attended by about twenty British representatives of the Foreign Office and Board of Trade. The proceedings were private but the j speech ?s will be published. J -Mr MacDonald, in a speech, welcomed the dedegates and said the conference was the completion of the Act granting do jure recognition to Iftissia, but'it in no wise altered the fact that recognition was not granted unqualifiedly. He pointed out that the liquidation of the past and the peaceful relation in the future must be considered. He also referred to propaganda. , Mr MacDonald’s speech was then translated into Russian. Ilf. Kahovsky replying in French said the delegates were most gratified by the welcome. He expressed the I opinion that close Anglo-Kussian fin- I uncial and commercial co-operation ' was necessary. Both countries’ debts and treaties must be discussed in detial. Bukovsky specially stressed • the I future peace of Europe and the necessity of disarmament. Ho also referred sympathetically to the League of Nations.

WARNING TO RUSSIA. LONDON, April 15. In the House of Commons, replying to Mr Sandeman in regard to M. Poincare's request that Britain make representations to the Soviet in regard to the Russian intelligentsia tried at Kieff, Mr .McDonald said the Government felt it could not usefully make any official representations to the Soviet on his matter. The Soviet was well aware of the Government’s views that where an injury had been done, they must do the utmost possible to redress it, so they could begin with a clean slate. Their credit here was not J in the hands of the Government, but in the deposits of private individuals, and unless they satisfied the mass of their people, that they were fair and honest, no agreement could be honour- j ed and they could not. help each other. The British people and British interests must be justly dealt with. He declared he would not give way on anything which would he regarded bv bis countrymen as paying an improper price for an agreement nor expect it of the Russians, but, within those limits, ho was sure they could come to terms. He laid stress on the fact that the first essential to friendly, profitable relations was that Russia should desist from countenancing directly or indirectly anything smacking of an at--1 tempt at propaganda, among Britishers, either at Home or Abroad. People in this country would require more on this head than formal undertakings. TIo did' not think, if the Conference failed to reach an understanding, the jtMussians would ho able to repeat the attempt, and lie did not see where else they could turn with better prospects. Referring to the trade question. Mi MacDonald said the people would risk nothing unless they knew any contracted agreement would be honoured to tbc last letter.

RAKOVSKY’S ST '.TEA IK NTS. LONDON. April 15

At tht' Anglo-Russian Conference. M. Rakovskv said tbev qonsidered thoi" was no insurmountable obstacle in the way to accoinplisb an understanding. He believed that if accounts were taken of their mutual interests, nothing stood in the way of a solution of the f|liestion of the pre-war debts and private claims. The British Government might also count on a full and sincere goodwill regarding political questions. The Soviet Government had no intention of reverting to the CV.arist policy of conquest and partition of Oriental States into spheres of influence. If the two Governments adopted as a starting point, the principle of respecting the independence and sovereignly of the Oriental States, they would be free of difficulty in settling all questions pertaining to their interests in the East. Stressing the acute international situation, he declared that disarmament must lie carried to the furthest limits. Although the Russian army in the past three years had been reduced from six millions to lmlf a million. Russia was ready. provided other States would do likewise, to take further decisive steps towards disarmament. Russia was ready also to contribute in every way to a universal decrease in naval armaments, subject to a certain political guarantees as re-

gards the League of Nations. The Soviet Government was prepared to associate itself with a plan of international organisations which excluded measures of coercion, or reprisals, and into which all Governments entered of their own free will, ami on a footing.

LABOUR LEADERS PROTEST LONDON, April 1-1

Five Labour leaders, including Laiislnirv, who visited Russia, have issued a counter-manifesto to the bankers' memorandum. They allege that Russia's terrible devastation is due tu the British blockade, the British invasion, and to ravaging by adventurers subsidised by British money. The manifesto stressed the justice of the Soviet counter claims, based on this devastation. The .Labourites accuse the hankers of trying to bring about by economic intervention what the military intervention has failed to do. namely, to dictate to the people • of 'Russia, the form of their Government.

french very interested

LONDON, April 15

The “Times” Paris correspondent states the French are intensely interested in the Anglo-Soviet Conference. The attitude of the French Government has already been communicated to Mr MacDonald and is in effect that care should he taken to avoid anv agreements by which international complications would he created. -d. Poincare does not ask that France he allowed to participate in the London Conference, hut would be quite willing to join in the negotiations if invited. Hitherto Britain has not proposed any such participation. “Le Temps,” however, understands that Mr MacDonald informed M. Poincare that he would tlo.nothing to injure French interests.

• RATvOVSKY’S VIEWS. LONDON, April Id. At the Anglo-Russian Conference, Bukovsky, said the first condition <>f stable peace was the revision of the Treaty of Versailles and the treaties ' connected therewith. The reorganisation of Europe could only he stable if it was based cut the will of the people’s aspirations and national independence. The Soviet Government, therefore, was prepared to support and pursue a policy of revising the frontiers on ethnographic principles, applying a plebiscite where necessary, as in the ease of Bessarabia. The Soviet Government fully shared the British vievf that mutual non-intervention in

internal affairs was one of the indisptnsihlo conditions for the creaiion of mutual confidence.

The Conference finally appointed an oiganising committee to supervise its labours. PREMIER BRAISED. LONDON, April 1.1. The newspapers generally congratu- , late Mr MacDonald on his firm yet tactful speech at the opening of the ArigloI Russian Conference. Conservative or. gnus, are sceptical as to the success of the Conference and inclined to question the Russian motives. The Liberal palters cordially welcome the Conference and approve of Mr MacDonald’s policy. The '‘Times” says Mr MacDonald' lias made the best of an extremely unpleasant situation •and lias encouraged no illusions. Bukovsky's declaration was tactless, and ignored the practical demands of the present. The “Daily Telegraph” thinks the Russians are merely cut for material advantages, and therefore the negotiations arc not likely to lead to anything.

The “Daily Express” says Mr MacDonald’s speech was worthy of the chief spokesman of the Empire. The “Daily News” urges the Conference lie given a fair chance by the abandonment of irritating pinpricks as instanced in tho. bankers memorandum and a section of the press. The “.Manchester Guardian” hopes and believes the meeting is the beginning of a genuine settlement in Europe.