CLEARER AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 April 1922, Page 5

CLEARER AIR.

GENOA MAY SUCCEED. BIG TASKS INVOLVED. DESTINY OF EUROPE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received April 23, 5.5 p.m. London, April 22. Mr. J. L. Garvin, editor of the Observer, writing from Genoa, says that Germany’s signature of the Russian treaty was due to a spasm of suspicion and fear. Genoa is infested with lies. The Germans heard quite erroneously that the Russians and the Allies had nearly reached an agreement, and the Germans feared their economic interest with Russia might be prejudiced. It was not the Bolsheviks’ fault that the treaty was not signed at Berlin en route to Genoa. The Russian and German people are economically necessary to each other, and the Bolsheviks would have been fools not to have signed, instead of offering the mailed first as at Brest-Litovsk.

Germany came cap in hand. The Allies were at first stupefied and astonished, and then consolidated. Mr. Lloyd George had risked the Entente’s continuance and his own political existence in order to restore a working concert in Europe by including Russia and Germany as members of the conference, yet the first use the Germans made of their new footing of equality was to invoke the old fatal doctrine of two camps. The Germans had themselves to bjame. IT it was universally felt that they would next proceed to a political and military alliance. 1 France’s first impulse was to smash the conference and occupy the Ruhr district. Could Mr. Lloyd George and Italy save Germany from herself? Our fate hung upon a hair, but fortunately the skies cleared. The Russian reply was far more reasonable than was expected, and the German difficulty has been overcome.

Apart from a legacy of friction and 'lessened trust, next week must make or break the conference, but it is most likely to least a fortnight. Mr. Garvin adds: “I am convinced it will achieve great and memorable results unless France prevents it. Mr. Lloyd George is, as he was in the blackest moments of the war, indomitable and formidable, and his dexterity is dragging the conference towards success. He believes it will achieve big purposes and form the basis of subsequent disarmament, on which a new Europe will be based. He believes that continuous work onwards will be carried out towards this end by a strengthened and extended League of Nations—-that the world’s life depends on this, and that the alternative thereto is the fall of European civilisation.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

ATTITUDE OF FRANCE. RENDERS POSITION DIFFICULT. RELATION TO PEACE TREATY. Received April 23. 5.5 p.m. Genoa, April 22. The Russo-German crisis has rearisen in consequence of a new French protest against the treaty infringing the Versailles declaration. The German reply is considered inadequate, and the Allies are privately considering the position. One of the first delegates to greet the King of Italy on board the warship Comte Cavour was Tchitcherin, who, discarding his Soviet clothes, wore an immaculate frock coat and silk hat. Large crowds cheered the King when passing through troop-lined streets. At a meeting of the first sub-com-mittee M. Barthou (France) pointed out that the Russian reply exacted a recognition de jure in return for the recognition of debts, while the Cannes resolution stood without that qualification. The point, however, was not pressed. It is probable financial assistance to Russia will take the shape of credit, and not a loan. Tt is expected a fortnight will conclude the conference’s tasks. The recognition of Russia, will likely take a progressive form. Firstly, the resumption of commerces’ relations, with a guarantee respecting courts giving security to foreign nationals. with the appointment of Charges d‘Affairs. Then, if it is seen that Russia is honorably carrying out her pact, full diplomatic recognition will be accorded.