The New York herald., 1922-05-05
Lloyd George and Other
Officials Hold Confer
ence With Wirth
and Rathenau.
PREMIER AGGRESSIVE
Belief Expressed France
VIII Finally Agree to
Soviet Terms.
APPROVES 10 YEAR TRUCE
Russian Attitude Stiffens and
Statement Demands $16,-
OOO,OOO,OO0.
px JOHN NH. STUART.

Special Cable TO THE NEW YORK HERALD
Copyright, 1922, bv THE NEw York HERALD
GENOA, May 4.-Louis Barthou,
head Of the French delegation, may
reach here tomorrow to find "a new
grouping of European Powers" as
threatened by Prime Minister Lloyd
George. under way. Neither British,
German, French nor Italian delegates
would discuss the matter this after
noon, but DR.. Joseph Wirth and DR..
Walter Rathenau, the German Chan.
cellor and the Foreign Minister, went
to the Villa de Albertis to join in a
meeting with Mr.. Lloyd George, Wis.,
count Birkenhead, the Lord Chan
cellor, who has just returned from
England; Sir Laming Worthington-
Evans, the British War Minister, and
Sir Edward Grigg.
The Germans state that the discus
sion covered "the general political
situation in Europe and Germany in
particular"
Lloyd George for Peace First.
notwithstanding Mr.. Lloyd
Georges recently reiterated deter
mination to preserve a united front
with the French. it is always coupled
with equally emphatic declaration on
his part that peace must be settled
in Europe, and that any nation think
ing It can keep Germany or Russia
isolated and miserable must be
"either blind or blinkered."
Mr.. Lloyd Georges need ofs
strong argument against the French
insistence upon solidarity with Bel
gium was obvious, and he is believed
to have found it in Lord Birken-
heads report that Unionist opinion
IL London is that outright return
Of private property nationalized by
Russia is admittedly impossible In
fact, the British argue that would
be against the terms OF the pream-
BILE of the Russian memorandum.
which lays down the principle that
one nation cannot interfere with the
internal system of another. To this
principle both French and Belgians
agreed.
Article VII, on private property.
is regarded as a method of effectu-
ating the equally strong principle
that the property of the nationals OF
one nation must be safe within an
other.
Discouraged over Belgium.
The English delegates are willing
TO adjust the terms of that article in
almost any way that will make
compromise acceptable. but they are
frankly discouraged over the Bel
gians' refusal TO accept the amend
ment which Jacques Seydoux pro-
posed. Mr.. Lloyd George described
this amendment as dangerously over
burdening the already weighty de-
mands
/ II is understood here that the
French are willing to sign the nom
/ aggression pact. IL II includes Russia
and does not touch existing treaties
nor interferes with sanctions now en-
/ ployable against Germany. That. from
the British point Of view. makes all
the more imperative that a meeting
OF the signatories OF the Versailles
treaty be had before the date NJ. Poin-
care has suggested. which is June I.
While the British are anxious that
such a meeting be held at some place
which will not require Mr.. Lloyd
George 20 be absent long from Genoa,
they are equally anxious TO arrange
/ direct and exclusive meeting with
the French In order to straighten out
all the difficulties now pending be-
tween them.
Next in importance. from the Genoa
point OF view. is the international
bankers conference under auspices OF
the Reparations Commission in Paris
May %, with j. p. Morgan in attend
ance.
Mr.. Lloyd George appears TO be dis
posed to defer all action pending a
restoration OF harmony between Eng-
! land and France and has sent word to
NJ. Barthou in Paris that he is deter
mined not TO break up the Entente.
As for the plan Of Sir Robert Steven
son Horne. Chancellor Of the Elk