The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-07-12
GLOOMY
OUTLOOK
AT HAGUE
Only English Are Op-
tinistic Confer
ence is Moving in
Hopeless Circle as
Bolsheviks P r e S S
Their Demands

Their Demands
Paris, July 10 (By the Associat-
ed Press).-Withdrawal Of the
French representatives from The
Hague conference today (Monday)
owing to the attitude Of the Rus
slams is declared probable by this
mornings newspapers. Instruc-
/ tions sent to Frances delegates
yesterday by Premier Poincare are
said to support this assertion.
The Hague, July 9.-The ex-
perts' conference on Russian prob
lens has held on, through a great
crisis, but is not yet considered
cut of danger. ALI the delegates
as they sit today in their icy hotels
at. scheveningen are unanimous in
this view, but their depression,
which is very evident, undoubtedly
/ is Influenced by the persistent abb
sence of sunshine. the equally per-
sistent biting North sea winds and
interminable rain.
The danger arises from the at
titude of the Russian delegation
toward restitution of confscated
property, and prominent European
i representatives frankly declared
today that unless the Soviets made
concessions from the intransigent
/ policy announced Friday it would
! be quite useless to continue the
! conference.
The English delegation remains
! doggedly optimistic: it believes that
suitabl compromise will be
/. found on the vital problem of the
! property of foreigners in Russia.
The Italians also are hopeful.
The pessimistic groups think that
/ the Russians do not care whether
| the conference succeeds or col
! lapses, as they will hope to make
! advantageous separate agreements
] with different financial groups, and
.thereb obtain immediate credits,
for which they constantly clamor,
and which the conference may long
/ postpone, even if a general accord
is reached:
Such is a brief summary Of the
situation as the conference is about
to start another week OF active ne
gotiations:
eRussia's plan for restitution is
not restitution at ALL" said one
| gloomy delegate today. 'Tae Bol-
| sheviki have no intention to re-
! store property, but painly Indicate
that they will distribute conces-
sions, including appropriated prop
erty. to the concession hunters who
haveathe most money. If the, 1or-
mer owner happens to have ample
funds to develop his factories or
mines he has good chance Of get
ting them: otherwise not.
Both sides appear to realize that
they have been moving in hope
less circle In the long run. by TAX
/ ing up seized property under class1-
fed headings, it is hoped to recog-
nize the two divergent viewpoints.
for it seems certain that Europe
will not supply credits without res
titution, and the Bolsheviki will
not grant any form Of restitution
/ without getting credits in return.
The Russians complained again
| TODAY of the refusal of the dele
gates of the non-communistic coun-
tries to grant information asked in
their famous QUESTIONABLE Of thir-
teen points concerning foreign
holdings of the Russian debt. The
most significant question was the
demand for information as to the
| social situation of the bond hold
/ ers, his profession and annual rev.
! enue, and the general financial sit
uation of his family. Another
sought to determine how each hold
er had acquired his bonds. whether
by purchase or inheritance. The
Bolsheviki further wished enlight-
enment as to whether the bonds
were kept on simple deposit or
! utilized as security for credits or
financial operations.
After seeking exact Information
concerning the amount and charac-
| ter of the bonds, the thirteenth
point insisted upon the presenta-
ton of documentary proof that all
questions were being answered
truthfully.
The European delegates refused
compliance. not only because they
considered the question irrelevant,
if not impertinent. but also be-
! cause to answer them would neces-
state stupendous international
inquiry with months Of labor and
great expense.
Some Of the questions created
considerable alarm, as indicating a
desire on the part of the Russian
delegation to apply communistic
theories in all their dealings in
foreign lands. The issues involved
are so staggering that the Euro
pean groups are beginning to real
ize the difficulties and responsible
ties of their task.
1T is not so sensational as Ge-
noa." said one delegation leader to
The Associated Press today. "but
it is vastly more important to the
worlds future The Western world
must take it's stand here on in
alienable rights in respect to
property; we cannot drift into col
lectiveness, or seem to favor it. II