THE EHTEMTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1922, Page 5

THE EHTEMTE.

MORE OF THE INCIDENT. TIMES CONFIRMS REPORT. RUPTURE WAS HINTED. By Teiearaxo.—Press Assn.—Copyright Received May 10, 7.20 p.m. London, May 8. Mt. H. Wickham Steed, the Times’ special representative at Genoa, wires, in reference to Mr. Lloyd George’s denial: *1 have no hesitation in affirming that the substance of Mr. Lloyd George’s words to M. Barthou was as I gave it; also, he afterwards repeated the statement to others. Indeed, he has repeatedly made analogous or indentical stateboth privately and officially, during the conference. There is no doubt whatever that he clearly gave M. Barthou to understand that, inasmuch as France preferred Belgian friendship to British, he must not be surprised if Britain regarded the Entente as ended.” Mr. Steed adds that according to German sources Mr. Lloyd George urged Herr Wirth and Dr. Rathenau yesterday to use their influence to persuade the Bolsheviks to accept the concerted European document, and the Germans used the opportunity to split the Allies. The Times adds that further confirmation of Mr. Lloyd George’s statement to M. Barthou comes from another correspondent (Mr. G. Ward Price) at Genoa, who states that M. Barthou gave him a straightforward account of what passed with Mr. Llovd George, in which M. Barthou affirms that Mr. Lloyd George said, “We have come to the parting of the ways.” FRENCH CONFIRMATION. Received May 10, 11.45 p.m. Paris, May 9. The Genoa correspondent of the journal Debats telegraphs that Mr. Lloyd George, in all his recent conversations, whether official or unofficial, particularly with M. Barthou and M. Beres, announced the imminent end of the Franco-British Entente. His denial is merely playing upon words. The revelations which have been made even fall short of the truth.—Reuter Service.