Evening star., 1922-04-15
DISTINCT PROGRESS
MADE At GENOA ON
RUSSIAN QUESTION
Soviets Present Concrete
Financial Proposals Favor
able to Allies.
PILES DOWN FOR BRIDGE,
DECLARES LLOYD GEORGE
Germans in Saar Appeal to Confer
ence and Pope-French Auto
cratic, They Say.
By the Associated Press.

CAdtiC, Lucy Say.
BY the Associated Press.
GENOA, April ia distinct ad-
vance toward settlement of the Rus
sian question was registered by the
economic conference today, conference
leaders declared.
Prime Minister Lloyd George OF
Great Britain expressed this view in
one of his characteristic figurative
utterances, saying:
1--WE are building a bridge across
the stream" he said. 1--WE have driven
some of the piles, we are now in the
deepest part Of. the current and are
driving them into the mud at the bot
tom. The bridge is rot yet above
water, the piles are firmly fixed, and
we are still hammering at them"
The Russian delegates and the ex-
perts Of the inviting powers met
again this morning at MIR. Lloyd's
Georges villa, and in the afternoon
the chiefs of these delegations Joined
them in the discussion, which up to
today. had consisted chiefly of state
ments of maximum demands by both
groups.
Russians Present Proposals.
The Russians, it became known to-
day, have presented concrete financial
proposals in which they say they
are in perfect accord with the allies
over the urgent necessity of estab-
fishing a monetary basis in all coun-
tries, putting an end to "feudalism."
which they declare is reigning espe-
cially in-the matter of exchanges.
They also agree to the necessity
for each country to balance its own
| budget. curtail paper currency and
reduce expenses. especially those for
ornaments, which they declare in
some countries are the chief cause
of deficits.
They urge an Anglo-American ac-
cord in order to establish a perma-
| nent purchasing power for their cur
rency. which they declare should
rencies. They insist upon the ne
| cessity Of granting credits or loans
| of gold to states whose financial
conditions are bad They give as an
example the American federal re-
| serve banks. which they say might
disposal Of central banks of countries
needing it, doing this. by lending gold
or by opening special credits.
Propose Money Convention.
| The Russians also propose an inter-
| national monetary convention, whose
| object would be to fix a stable ratio
| between the currencies of the va
Y
| proposals by emphasizing Russia's
| urgent need of being granted a loan
| in order to stabilize its currency.
Mr.. Lloyd George, in discussing the
| situation with the Associated Press
| correspondent. said capitalism, which
| had been expected to be the chief
stumbling block in effecting an agree
| ment with the Russians. had been
| scarcely touched at all, and that ap-
parently this would be greatly over
Swallowed by financial problems.
Financial and economic experts of
Great Britain, France, Italy and Belgium
| gathered today to continue the discus
| sions, began yesterday, of the conditions
| under which the rehabilitation OF Rus
| sia will be undertaken. They were to
| of the four inviting powers and So
Wet Russia in the afternoon.
| The discussions were started yes
| terday at an informal meeting of the
more important delegates in the villa
| of Mr.. Lloyd George, British prime
! minister, the basis OF negotiation be-
| ing the report prepared by the allied
| experts in London, copies of which
were handed to the Russians earlier
| in the week.
Soviet Reply Postponed.
| The soviet delegates were to have
made their reply to the report today,
| but this has been postponed indefi-
| nitely, and will probably be based on
| the understanding reached at the
present series Of conferences. 1t is
understood that the soviet delegates
| knowledge Russia's pre-war debts
and to cancel their claims against
| the allies IL the allies will do like
| wise with Russia's war debts.
| Yesterdays informal meeting really
marked the inauguration OF steer
| ing committee, and is in line with the
| efforts of Mr. Lloyd George and other
Headers to speed up the work OF the
| conference. 1t is believed differences
| of opinion can be more easily ADJUST
| ed in private conference, thus eliml-
mating long debates at full sessions
of the various commissions OF which
! the conference proper is composed.
There has been a total absence OF for
NAL dinners and luncheons. but the
| leaders are dining together In small
groups and utilizing the meal time for
| conference business.
| Experts Tackling issues.
| The designation Of numbers of small
| subcommissions also is in line with
this policy of time-saving. Under this
| scheme, consideration Of the main
subjects is left chiefly to experts, and
interminable discussions by those not
thoroughly informed ere avoided
| One month has been set as the
time limit, in which the diplomats
generally expect 1t Will be known
| whether the conference can achieve
| it's purposes. Mr.. Lloyd George ex-
poets to leave on April 81. and is max
ing every effort to have the big de-
1 cisions arranged before then.
/ Although the conference worked un-
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