The Owosso times., 1922-04-14
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
British and French Premiers Civ
en- Votes of Confidence on
Genoa Policies.
FORMER MAKES GREAT SPEECH
Russians Warned Partial Recognition
Depends on Good Behavior-De
Valera Trying to Upset Irish Free
State-Progress of the Coal
Miners Strike.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD

by EOWAhO w. fICNARD
HAVING triumphed over his enc
~ mics with vote of confidence
372 to 94-in the house of commons,
Premier Lloyd George, instead of re-
signing, has gone to Genoa to lay be-
fore the economic conference his plans
for the regeneration of Europe. On
the same day as the British test Pre-
mier Poincare laid his foreign policies
before the French chamber Of deputies.
and they were approved by a vote Of
4S4 to rs. Whereupon he also decided
TO attend the conference as soon as his
official duties at home would permit.
Both the British and the French have
been growing more hopeful daily that
good and definite results will come
from the Genoa meeting.
Probably Lloyd George never made
q more effective speech than that which
preceded the vote of the commons. He
spoke for an hour and half, setting
forth eloquently the conditions that his
country and Europe generally face, and
replying with humOr and keen satire to
Quently joined in the applause. De-
Tending the limitations placed on the
scope OF the conference, barring the
discussion of revision of boundaries
and of reparatiOns, he argued that no
one Of his hearers would wish to go
back on the clauses Of the treaty of
Versailles by which Alsace-LOrraine
was restored to France. Poland resur-
rectcd and the independence of the
Slavonic populations of Austria-Hun-
gary recognized. Nor, said he, was
there any use criticizing the repara-
tions, since to alter these would simply
transfer the burden from Germany to
France. England and Belgium, but
mainly to France. He asserted France
should not be asked or expected to
foregO the right she won at such cost,
or to submit to the judgment of a
conference in which not only her
former enemies but also neutrals are
represented. Germany's ultimate ca
pacity to pay, he added, must not be
Judged by her capacity at this moment.
Discussing the main theme Of the con-
ference, the establishment of peace,
credits, currency, exchange, transports
and the machinery of international
trade the premier dealt largely with
Russia and said he believed its pres
ent rulers had been brought into new
frame of mind by the famine and
would now recognize the conditions i'm
posed and accepted by civilized COM
munities, acknowledging Russia's debts
and promising to cease their attacks
on the institutions Of other countries.
He pledged that there would be no
full diplomatic recognition Of the
soviet government until the powers
should be entirely satisfied that Russia
was really endeavOying to carry out
the terms Of such aH undertaking.
Mr.. Lloyd George may have been
over-Optimistic about The repentance Of
the. Russians. The srviet delegates
became more and more cocky as they
made their way toward Genoa. and in
Berlin they arranged for clcse coop
Grafton with the German delegation,
reached an economic understanding
with Chancellor Wirth and Foreign
Minister Rathenau and made agree
ments with the representatives Of Ger
man industry and finance.
Rathenau explains that his accord
with the Russians is due to the posi-
tion taken by the allies on the repara-
tions. Among the recent demands
made on Germany by the reparations
commission is the payment of 6O,OOO-
100000 marks in increased taxation.
This demand, II is said, the German
government has rejected. claiming II
Is an invasion Of Germany's sovereign
rights.
Great Britain last week gave jolt