AT THE HAGUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1922, Page 5

AT THE HAGUE.

TASKS FOR THE POWERS. BRITAIN’S PROPOSALS. THE FRENCH REPLY. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Paris, June 13. The French reply to the British Note regarding the Hague Conference suggests that the Allies and neutrals ought to have agreed to a plan before the meeting. The Russians’ reply says that while Britain regards the preliminary conference solely as one of experts, other Governments have taken a different view and decided to be represented by diplomats. The French Note continues: “The expert conference on June 25 will not deal with the questions of principle, which would only give a favorable opportunity for Soviet propaganda, but with practical means of re-estab-lishing normal relations between Russia and other countries. This meeting of experts will not be preceded by preliminary conversations on the proposals to be presented in common agreement to the Russians. It unfortunately is certain that at the present time such agreement does not exist. The discussions at Genoa revealed profound divergencies. Would it be reasonable to present ourselves divided and without a precise plan before the Soviet delegates, who showed at Genoa that they knew how to take advantage of the least disagreement ? “The French, like the British Government, considers the Cannes resolu-tions-should be regarded as the imperative rule at the Hague. It was because the Soviet delegates at Genoa deliberately and repeatedly departed from the letter and spirit of those resolutions that France insists on the necessity of keeping thereto.”

The French Cabinet decided that France shall be represented at The Hague, but Parliament should be given an opportunity to express its opinion beforehand.

M. Tardieu, writing in L’Echo National, says that a comparison of the Anglo-French Notes shows that both countries are not at all in agreement and reproaches M. Poincare for not taking a definite position. M. Tardieu opposes France going to The Hague. Paris newspapers publish extracts from the speech which M. Deschanel intended to deliver in the course of an interpellation on M. Poincare’s policy, but death intervened. M. Deschanel thought French and British interests inseparable, but he opposed the British policy. Britain’s traditional policy was to try to maintain the Continental equilibrium by supporting the weaker against the stronger. It did not always succeed and more than once, without wishing to do so, it imperilled the world’s peace. Paris, June 12. French newspapers comment on the moderate tone of the British reply to the French statement as to the Hague Conference. The Journal says: “We must not be blind to the fact that the reply counters the French thesis as regards Russia.” The Eclair asserts that the Note proves how difficult it is to maintain any sort of agreement with Mr. Lloyd George’s Government.