The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-05-09
WORKING OUT
new PLAN TO
SUIT BELGIUM
English and Italian Delegates
to Economic. Conference
Work Out New Formula on
Property Restoration.
TO MEET OBJECTIONS
tBy Associated Press)

GENOA, May 9.-English and Itst
ian delegates to the economic confer
ence met today with members of the
Russian delegation and began work
ing out new formula concerning the
restoration of foreign property in
Russia, said an announcement this
afternoon by the French delegation.
The announcement said 1t was
hoped to devise a new clause in the
Russian memorandum which would
satisfy Belgium, therefore France.
Belgium, although not participating.
is being kept in touch with these in
formal negotiations.
The assent of the new suggestion Is
the insection of a clause which would
contain the general declaration thai
property of foreigners would not in
any event be turned over to third par
ties by the Russian government, thus
meeting the main Belgium objection
! to the present document.
The French representatives this
afternoon admitted that they were
more optimistic than they were two
days ago.
Belgium Is Center
Belgium is the center around which
! turns the fierce controversy over the
Rusdan question. It is Belgium's OBJ
! lection to clause seven in the allied
| memorandum to the Russians behind
which France is standing in her oppos-
| ition to the memorandum. Conse-
/ quently all eyes in Genoa are on Bel
gium and on NJ. Jaspar, foreign minis
! ter and chairman of the Belgian dele
cation.
''The question raised by Belgium
about clause seven, has two aspects, :
NJ Jaspar said "On one side il l.
a question of principle concerning re-
spect and protection of private prop
erty abroad The other side concerns
+. the economic restoration of Russia BIZ
4 reviving the industry of that country.
Belgium invested two and a hal,
billions of francs, gold, in Russian
industry and possessed 1851 factories
including blast furnaces, glass factor
les, electric street railways, cloth
mills, water works and electric light
plants. We used to produce in Rus
sia before the war AZ per cent of the
foundry output of the entire country,
4S per cent of the steel rails, 75 per
cent of the chemical products, so pei
cent of the glass, tableware and SO
per cent of the window glass.
Belgium Prepared.
''No other country is so prepared a:
is Belgium to restore Russia if the
latter returns to the former Belgian
proprietors their old possessions Mon
ey again will pour into Russia, Bel
gian industrialists already hive a bill
lion francs laid aside to restore theil
industries there.
Belgium does not wish the failure
of the conference. All her efforts here
have been directed toward the sue
cess of the meeting, while everyone in
Guiding Mr.. Lloyd George has pait
homage to the Belgian sincerity anC
peaceful spirit
NJ. Jaspar denied statements print
ed recently in several European news
papers concerning a military and eco
nomic alliance between France anC
Belgium. He said the two countries
: concluded in 1920 purely defensiv,
. convention effected through the ex
D change of letters which provide tha
!, the convention be effective only wheI
f mutually agreed upon.