Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-25
Barthou Reported Insisting
on B-Hour Allied UItimatum
to Russia.
CONFERENCE A FAILURE,
VIEW EXPRESSED IN PARIS
Soviet Resents Resistance to Ma
tionalization-May Make q. S.
Party to Claims.

Washburn Child, American am
bassador to Italy, has notified the
Genoa conference that the United
States reserves all Its rights ON
the repayment OF war debts due
from Russia, says a dispatch to
the Evening Standard from Genoa
this evening. These debts include
] private bankers. lOnns nnd ad-
vances to the Kerensky govern
ment.
LONDON, April 25.-There is reli-
| able information. declares a Central
! News dispatch from Genoa, that NJ.
Barthou of the French delegation re-
ceived telegraphic instructions today
to insist at the conference upon the
terms contained in Premier Poin-
cares speech of Monday.
The French delegation, says the
| message, has declared it will press
| for forty -eight-hour ultimatum to
Russia, or else break from the con-
| ference altogether.
| Premier Poincare's speech created
great CONSERVATION in conference cir
| cles. it is added.
| HI--NoAs April S0.-l ne benCd con-
ference is drifting toward the rocks
again. Whether it can be kept from
wreckage depends upon the possibil-
| ity of adjusting the new demands OF
| the Russian soviet delegation with
| the position Of the allied govern
ments, who declare they will stead
/ fastly stand by the resolutions adopt
ed at Cannes. on which the conference
! is founded.
| Foreign Minister Chicherin of
soviet Russia declared to the Asso-
| ciated Press today that allied resist
ance to the Russian principle of ma
tionalization was blocking the confer--
ence.
1T is obvious" he said, that the
only serious obstacles to peace with
Russia and general reconstruction
are the pretensions of a few former
owners of property in Russia"
Called Out by High Tension.
The Russian minister's statement
, was called out by the high tension
developed over Russia's claims. which
are considered in some quarters as
threatening to disrupt the conference.
He insisted. however, that it was the
efforts of the allies to resist Russias
right to nationalize property and
their attempt to infringe upon her
| sovereignty in that connection that
were holding up the work of the ex-
perts and delaying the conferences
! progress.
There is no difference between our
official proposals of April "a and my
letter to Mr.. Lloyd George of April
90" said Mr.. Chicherin. 1--WE merely
explained and developed the fourth
phrase of our note (that dealing with
eigners). In my letter to Mr. Lloyd
George it was said that we could re-
store to foreigners " no were former
owners the use Of their property
where 1t was possible. In our pro-
| posals yesterday We explained in de-
tail that this was possible only in
| cases where our social and economic
system and our fundamental laws
permitted it,
Claims Would Be Examined.
1T is quite clear that the mainte-
nance of our sovereign rights and our
principles for the reconstruction of
Russia are to be strictly observed
To give to former owners the use OF
their property is therefore possible
only in conformity with our sover-
eign laws and only when our funda-
mental laws permit this step in our
policy of reconstruction-that is, in
cases where our economic plan of re-
tSohSti uStioH 10 llOl lIlTO"H dSluS.
/ Further, 1t was said in nv letter
| to Mr.. Lloyd George that in other
cases the just claims of former own
ers would be examined by us and
would lead to separate agreements. or
would be adjusted by a system to be
/ elaborated now at this conference.
This was also explained more in de-
tail in our proposals of Monday
Holds Government Competent.
''Our government is competent to
decide what claims it considers just"
NJ. Chicherin continued. There IL
not the least difference between my
letter to Mr.. Lloyd George and our
proposals of Monday. 1t is obvious
that the only serious obstacles to
peace with Russia and to general re-
construction are the pretensions OF
a few former owners
Russia has gone far in its conces-
sions. but it cannot return to the old
! social and economic system. We are
faced with the great work Of recon
| struction and a general pact against
aggression. 1t is only the pretensions
! of a very small body Of former own
Of property aGd IN tbese sms sna' s'ano
The allied experts today were hold
ing a meeting without the presence
OF the Russians to compare notes and
reach some agreement as TO exactly
| what the soviet standpoint Is, as 1t
was outlined at yesterdays meeting.
The experts of four different powers
took full notes at yesterdays session
BarthOu Stands Firm.
Members Of the French delegation
declared today that the latest Rus
sian outgivings resembled the prop
agandist memorandum which had
been discarded rather than the Official
reply the Russians had submitted to
the conference.
I'VE must take a definite stand and
know where we are." said NJ Barthou.
the head of the delegation. Other
wise It is useless to go on"
If the Russians desired to continue
1.-THE discussion on q sound business
basis, he added. all would be well.
Otherwise, the delegates might as
well go home and have the discussion
Mt q later date, he declared.
The general impression among the
representatives Of the powers today
was that 1t was absolutely vital for
Russia to obtain financial assistance