HAGUE CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1929, Page 5

HAGUE CONFERENCE

1 SEEKING’ A WAY OUT. i , • (United Prase Association—By KJeutric . Telegraph—Copyright). THE HAGUE, August 10. The chief delegates of Italy, Bel- ' gium, France and Japan, at the Reparations Conference, had a private conference here, after which he Belgians interviewed Mr Philip Snowdon. It was decided that representatives of the six Powers concerned should meet to-morrow (Sunday) and re-ex-amine the situation. SNOWDEN IN MINORITY. ; THE HAGUE, August 10. Interviewed 'by the Central Nows at midnight, Rt Hon Philip Snowden--(British Chancellor of the Exchequer) : said: “If • this conference breaks down the responsibility for'it will not be on the shoulders of, Great Britain. M. Briand (French Prime Minister) says it is a case of five against one. That' does not necessarily mean tliat the fivd*'are right and that the one is wrong. It often happens that right is on the side of the minority.” Asked for his opinion of the immediate »prospects, Mr Snowden said: “The situation is not grave from my v viewpoint, but I* shall .be prepared to depart at any time if there is ho reason to stay.” When he was told that the French delegation believed that he was bluffing, Mr Snowden said : “If they are under that illusion, they had better - wait and see!” , Mrs /Snowden' . intorposed: “You

don’t know the' Ybrkshireman.’” MR MACDONALD.' ' ,■ ; LONDON, August 10. Tile Daily News understands that t i following on the receipt of urgent ■ State papers, Mr Ramsay MacDonald has chartered an aeroplane, and is flying to . Edinburgh this morning. The paper adds: It is safe to assume that the ultimate destination of the Prime Minister will be The Hague. ■ . 11 . - • • LATER. Mr Ramsay MacDonald is flying to Edinburgh to inbet Sir H. Wilson re the cotton dispute and had never any intention of going to The Hague. : ! AN ITALIAN ESTIMATE. ’ . ROME, August 10. The newspaper Inipeio appears with heavy black headlines as follows: ‘“Enough of Britain’s Insatiable Voracity and Hypocrisy,” which heading covers a column of large type. , The paper says: Italy has no mines, no ships, no colonial mandates, or no priority payments. Can the same be said of England? < WHO WILL BUDGE? V ■ THE IftAGUE, August? i has (been .a day of international strain .at the Reparations Conference. Mr P. Snowden’s speech is regarded as an ultimatum. - , and as the .ultimatum expires at ten o’clock on Saturday morning, the atmosphere is electric until a way out of the impasse is found, or Mr Snowden and his colleagues take a boat home. M. ’ Briand (French Foreign Minister) stated that while the 'situation is grave, he could not .‘believe that the Conference will break down.

MR SNOWDEN’S INSISTENCE. , LONDON, August 10. “1 cannot' .any longer await a decision. I <lo not want to remain here for the rest of-my life,” declared 1 Philip Snowden, at this morning’s meeting of the Finance Committee in a - discussion on the Reparation posi tion. ' Mr Graham had then lengthily explained how the German deliveries in ; kind and the Young Plan 'adversely affected the British export trade and increased 'British unemployment.- ; M. Cheron, in countering on behalf of France, endeavoured to prove that Britain has benefitted more by the Young Plan than she did formerly. ’ Mr Snowden emphatically refused to accept a single one of M. Cheron's arguments, aiid he challenged the accuracy of his figures, which, he declared, were capable of an entirely different interpretation. •Mr Snowden added:- “It is time that my three points were discussed. It is untrue to assert that the finish experts, in the drawing up of the Young Plan, were instructed by the British Treasury.” The Finance Oommitee then adjourned till Monday, August 12th, When Mr Snowden’s motion for the setting up of a sub-committee to examine his three points will be cie,bated The Belgian delegation -is trying to save the situation by proposals for itransferring the Ifinnfl, decision to Germany by suggesting that-Ger-many should pay sufficient cash, i" lieu payment in kind, to satisfy Mr Snowden, the countries receiving the /£’> payments in kind being forbidden to re-export such goods.

THE LATE CHANCELLOR. QUEBEC, August 10. The former British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Winston Churchill, did not comment to any extent on the attitude of the present Chan »' eellor, Mr Phillip Snowden to the Young Plan of reparations, hut Mr Churchill made it clear that Mr Snowden’s stand had his own sup-

port: Ho said that the apportionments under former Dawes’ Plan had been satisfactory. Those now projected were totally inadequate. CANADA’S DELEGATE. QUEBEC, August 10. The Hon. A. O. Larkin, the Canadian High Commissioner in London, has been appointed to represent Canada at the Hague Conference reparations. MR SNOWDEN’S FIRM STAND. RECOGNISED AS NO BLUFF. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, August 11. ' The Hague Conference remains in being, but the danger of a breakdown has not passed. The position is that Mr Snowden has given the conference till Monday to make up its mind whether it will consider his points or not.

Mr Snowden put Britain’s viewpoint plainly and firmly, and refuses to consent to the matter being shelved. He stressed that M. Poincare- promised Mr Churchill that there should be no ( interference with the Spa percentages. The French press now realise that Mr Snowden is not bluffing, and professes the greatest indignation at' this plain language, but not a single newspaper attempts to refute his arguments.

The British press, headed by the “Times,” “Daily Telegraph.” and “Observer,” are politically solid behind the Chancellor. It is' learned that while in Edinbrugli Mr MacDonald had a conference with Mr Norman, Governor of the Bank of Engand, and Mr Lamont, of the banking house of J. P. Morgan and Company. • SUPPORT OF PREMIER. (Received this dav at 10.30. a.m.)i HAGUE, August ]].’ Mr MacDonald lengthily telegraphed Mr Snowden, congratulating him upon his stand, and heartily supporting it. The news of the Prime Minister’s intervention caused . surprise among the' non-British delegations. A BETTER OUTLOOK. ■ . • LONDON, August 11. • Reports from The Hague agree that the Sunday exchange of views has gone far to .restore harmony among the delegates, and that the atmosphere -is -better. Nevertheless it is'- considered that .fundamental difficulties remain and the solution of the crisis is still : uncertain. , The Conference meets on Monday to continue the discussion.