New-York tribune., 1922-05-08

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Beleians caught vision Of their
property being juggled by the Reds
into other hands, and they therefore
went back to their original contention
that existing private property rights
must first be recognized by the Boil
shcVikj.
France BoIsters Uer Claims
pojncarc. seeing The entente with
England weakening. decided to stand
with Belgium on this issue, so that
the Belg'ans in turn Will stand by
France on the German reparations
policy. France has no interests now
in the Russian oil fields, and her chief
aim IS to line up support for her pol
icy Of enforcement Of penalties against
Germany to insure fulhllment of the
terms of the Treaty Of Versailles.
If the Western powers had been COM
p(etely agreed in their policies-as they
probably would have been had not the
oil question arisen Russia would have
been forced to accept their terms But
the interjoction Of the oil question and
the resultant split gave the Bolsheviki
a chance to play choiT best card-oil.
Oil therefore has be some the question
Of paramount interest at Genoa, com
plctely overshadowing Europes strug
gle for peace and reconstruction. The
nations and their nationals are strug-
Cling first for control Of Russia's oil.
Every train brings new flock of men
to Genoa ostonsibly TO enjoy the warm
air and sunshine, but actually to watch
the interests OF some powerful oil com
pany, bank or government. The general
secretariat of the conference gets the
f al-rj,-lnu ot (,onoo
so that the presence Of the oil men
cannot be hidden.
Most Of these special delegates are
representatives Of British or Dutch in
forests, such as the She'll Oil Company,
the Anglo-Persian and the Royal Dutch.
But there also are many Americans,
Belgians and about twenty Frenchmen.
including NJ Eynac. a special repre-
sentative of the Paris Cabinet, with q
corps of experts, and General Jassouin,
agent for a group Of Paris bankers,
who represent the Standard Ol's
European interests.
The American oil men arc scattered
Washington B. Nanderlip, Of Califor-
MIA, is at one of the principal hotels
in Genoa, but other Americans are
staying at Rapallo, twenty miles away.
Marcus Samuel, chairman of the Anglo
Persian group and one Of Lloyd
Georges close friends, is in the city
On the ground also is a representa-
tive Of the Union Bank Of Paris, which
is allied with the Anglo-Persian group
and backed by the AngIo-Greck million
aire, Sir Basil Zagarotf Sir Basil is
an intimate friend Of Georges Clemen-
ceau and the chief supporter Of Andre
Tardieu's new Paris newspaper, "L'Echo
National"
Closely allied with the Bank de Paris
ct Pays Bas, which may take the lead
ing part for France in the oil negotia-
tions, is the Standard Oil Company!
The position of this American company
is said to follow closely the open-doo
policy advanced for the Washington
government
The French have been Withholding
one Of their cards that they may play
If they find that some British com
pany already has or is about to get a
monopoly in Russia. This is the now
almost forgotten Franco British oil
agreement signed at San Remo by Pres
ident (then Premier) Millerand and
Premier Lloyd George in balmier days
Of the Entente. This agreement pro
vidcd trat the two countries would
WORK together in developing the pc
troleum resources Of Gahcia, Ruma-
MIA. Mesopotamia and Russia. This
treAty may not be regarded as binding
however, if special interests outside the
governments Of the two nations are in
volved. Consequently the French are
torn between Poincare's political alli-
ance with Belgium and Millerand's oil
treaty with England. Therefore the
policy of France is dual-the govern
ment will remain true to its agree
ments while private banks take care OF
the COuntrN's oil interests