HAGUE AGREED TO.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 May 1922, Page 5

HAGUE AGREED TO.

OENOA ADJOURNS TO-DAY. TRUCE TO CONTINUE. GERMANY EXCLUDED. TASKS FOR EXPERTS. By Teleynph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received May 18, 8.15 p.m. Genoa, May 17. rhe sub-commission has adopted the proposal that the next conference meet at The Hague. The Dutch representative undertook to afford the Soviet all facihwas decided that the truce should remain in force for four months after the The Hague meeting. The final plenary session will be held on Friday morning, after which rhe Empire delegates will return to London. M.. Tchitcherin, in a statement before the sub-commission, said the appointment of two commissions at The Hague seemed to the Russian delegation unfortunate, because it would perpetuate the Genoa situation. Nevertheless the Russians accepted the proposal to meet at The Hague, but protested against Germany’s exclusion, as the question of credits did not come within the Rapallo agreement. He would have much preferred to meet at Stockholm or Riga, but was ready to go to London or Rome. He welcomed the truce, which should apply to all Allied and Soviet republics. He wished its scope broadened to include raiding bands, such as General Wrangel’s, and he begged that such raiders be removed to distant countries. Mr. Lloyd George interjected: “What countries; not ours?” M. Tchitcherin said he reserved the right to suggest amendments later. He was anxious that the sub-commission should recommend the control of zones on the frontiers to prevent “incidents”. There was a certain amount of discussion as to whether the truce would bind the Far Eastern republics. Mr. Ishii (Japan) wished to be clear on this point. Mr. I .In yd George said he wished the pact to apply to the Asiatic as well as the European frontiers. Speaking to M. Tchitcherin’s statement, Mr. Lloyd George declined to deal with the German admission, but when it came to dealing with the mm mission’s report the Germans would have an equal chance of participation. Neither Rome nor London was agreeable to the British delegation. It was desirable that the work of the commission should not be prejudiced by what happened at Genoa. The discussions at The Hague would have an international aspect, and should not be colored by what happened at Genoa, where so wide a divergence occurred as to make an agreement impossible. The plan was now to see if the experts could find a solution of the problem presented by rival systems, for undoubtedly the difficulty had been the gulf between those systems. He believed the existence of Russian peasant land ownership was bringing about some approximation of the rival systems. It was unfortunate that the first of May occurred in the middle of the conference, as he believed the May Day demonstration at Moscow had a repercussion on Genoa. Mr. Lloyd George said there would certainly be two commissions sitting at The Hague. He begged M. Tchitcherin to look upon the organisation as a practical thing, and not make differences over form. He thought too much was made of General Wrangle’s bands, which gave greater trouble to the countries harboring them than to Russia. The latter gained enormously by the fact that all countries were bound by the truce, thus giving a chance of things calming in both Russia and elsewhere. Nothing amused him more than the way statesmen compared the inoffensiveness of their own statesmen with the wickedness of others. M. Tchitcherin wanted them to believe that the Russian leaders possessed all the Christian virtues, while the other countries were always plotting and scheming. He hqped that when the truce was signed all would keep it. — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. RUSSIA ACCEPTS. OBJECTION TO LOCALE. NGN-AGGRESSION WELCOMED. Genoa, May 17. The Russians have accepted the proposed conference of experts. The Russians, in accepting the conference, strongly protested against Us being held at The Hague and suggested Riga, Stockholm, Rome, or London. They also protesetd against the exclusion of the Germans from the proposed mixed commission. M. Tchitcherin informed the conference that the Russians welcomed the proposed non-aggression pact. Mr. Lloyd George said he desired the pact to extend even to Asiatics. M. Tchitcherin replied that, so far as Rusia was concerned, the pact could be made to apply to all the Russian frontiers.

AMERICA’S ATTITUDE. ANXIOUS TO CO-OPERATE. IF PROPOSALS MODIFIED. Washington, May 17. A White House official said to-day that, authough on the surface it might seem as if the United States entirely refused to co-operate with the European Powers, the truth is that the American Government is not only ready, but anxious to participate in the conference on Russian affairs. It is understood definitely that President Harding is ready .to send a representative to The Hague, or anywhere else, to discuss the Russian Question, and that, if the Powers will modify the proposals and remove the features objectionable to this country, American co-operation can be assured. President Harding feels the door is bpen for American help, and wants that clearlv understood. Both Mr. Harding and Mr. Hughes believe that much can be accomplished, if the Russian question is treated as an economic matter, and if the Russians will respect private rights and property and thus a basis for economic dealings with other American reply is intended as a (piece of moral suasion, it being hoped the Powers will be able to P*™"* StaKiMS that the giving of American help Will be seriously considers 1 in Washington, just so soon as an Jiesja ews b? wshissed wbwh will »«■

rant the United States in extending its hands. This accounts for the speed with which the American reply was dispatched. The Powers at Genoa were expected to use the American Note as a medium for further negotiations with the Russians. GERMAN POLICY. . GET RICH QUICKLY. Paris, May 17. The Genoa correspondent of the Petit Parisien says that Dr. Rathenau has abandoned the idea of protesting against Germany’s exclusion from The Hague Conference; he even advised M. Tchitcberin to accept the Powers’ proposals. Dr. Rathenau considers Germany’s best course is to profit by her Russian agreement, during the four months that the other nations have engaged themselves not to negotiate separately. Germany may later attempt to conclude an agreement with Russia on the lines of the general agreement, which may possibly be concluded at The Hague.