The Washington herald., 1922-05-08
Barthou Says Negative
Reply Means Fall of
Entire Conference.
DENIES ANY GRAVE
ANGLO-FRENCH RIFT
Asserts Belgians' Stand
On Property Is Nearer
Right Than Britain's.


an unqualified yes" or mo" an
swer from Russia to the allied
proposals designed to govern fu-
ture negotiations in the Genoa con-
ference.
II the answer is mo" that is. IL
France and Belgium's demand for
restitution Of private property are
not complied with-Minister Of Jus
tice Barthou, as spokesman for the
French delegation. considers II viii
mark the fall Of the entire confer
ence. AS the conference falls il
will drag down the European nom
aggression pact with it. according
to Barthou's view. as such a pact
is impossible without Russia.
All indications TO date have been
that Russia would refuse to COM
ply with the allied demands.
Reply Expected Today.
In thus delivering a fat demand
for a favorable answer, or a COM
plete break up OF the conference.
BarthouI has brought the Genoa
other OF its "cNes."
Barthou explained the French
| position and made his statement
Of what is now demanded Of the
! Russians upon receiving American
and British newspaper correspond
ents today. He denied there was
any serious disagreement among
/ the allies. Hs automatically dis
| posed OF the apparent rift betweea
! England and France by asserting
that France retains the same spirit
l Of friendship and loyalty toward
both England and Belgium that she
| held during the war. but that in
/ this principle OF private property
/ in the present negotiations. France
thought Belgium was nearer right
than England. This doesn't mean.
/ however. he went on TO explain.
that France has Joined Belgium a.
/ against England.
Barthou expects the Russian re-
rly tomorrow.
Fate Of Farley at stake.
"Russia's reply must be hatly
Yes or No." he declared. III Il
is No. the entire conference fails.
I including the nonaggression pact.
which would be impossible without
/ the signature of sRussia. We are
determined not to permit further
/ dilatory tactics; hence Russia's Re-
ply tomorrow settles the fate of
the conference.
TT would be the greatest mis-
take to think that any serious dif-
ference exists among the allies.
Even the small difference. In prin-
Ciple which prevented France and
Belgium from signing the Russian
memorandum will disappear before
a Russian refusal. and all the allies
will be placed on their usual basis
of solidarity.
when France felt obliged 20
/ support the Belgian viewpoint.
rather than the English. on the
question of the restitution OF pri-
vate property. il was not a ques-
tion of choosing between the two
countries" Bartnou Insisted.
VIII Not Permit Delay.
France retains the same loyal
friendship and spirit OF gratitude
toward both which inspired her re-
lations with them during the war.
We merely felt that on the priu-
ciple of private property proposed
Belgium was nearer right than
England. That does not mean that
we have Joined Belgium against
England. We maintain our former
spirit OF union with England. We
are only momentarily divided, and
are divided only on a question ~
principle, which will disappear in
event of a Russian agreement We
are already united in the deter
mination that the Russian reply
must be clear and final
Twice during the present neco-
tiations we have asked categorical
replies from the Russians. which
were not given. But the. negotta-
tons were allowed to continue. We
cannot permit that again. The
memorandum as delivered was thu
joint expression OF the subcommit-
tee. The French and Belgian diff
ference had no importance, and We
will not permit the Russians To-
take advantage OF It by giving an
evasive- dilatory reply"
OIL Men Gather at Genoa.
As an agreement between the
allies and Russia is now regarded
as improbable. IL is expected that
Genoa soon will see the oil inter
ests of the world, whose representa-
tivcs are gathering here. rushing
in a free-for-all scramble to the
Bolshevik bargain counter seekins
to grab bargains in oil and other
concessions before the Russian
delegation returns home.
Leading delegations declare every
great oil interest will have its per-
sonal representative here within
the next few days. The concentra-
tion started Immediately after the
oil question began to figure in the
allied proposals to Russia. As there
seems little likelihood Of those pro-
possls being accepted. Russia will
be left free to bargain with the
individual oil interests.
English Have Ground PIoar.
The English now have the ground
floor owing to the preceding ~
tiations OF the Shell and
Dutch companies with the -.
The bitterness OF the liz 20
prevent a monopoly Of the Russian