The Washington herald., 1922-05-06
France Demands Clause
Barring Alteration of
Versailles Treaty.
ANGLO-RUSSIAN
OIL DEALS DENIED
Conference Nears Close,
And Conclusion by May
Is Is Predicted.

GENOA, May 5.-Varied reports
regarding Anglo-RussIan oil deals
have reacted badly on the confer
ence. leading to a series Of rumors
and denials. which kept the dele
gates in a continual state of expec-
tation wondering what would come
next.
The British were prompted to
make an official denial of charges
in the Franco Belgian press that
the Russians promised to give the
Shell Oil interests. British control
led. properties which formerly be-
lonEed to the BelGians. the latter
intimating that their refusal to sign
the Russian memorandum was made
after they. had seen what appeared
to be proof of the charges
OIL Agreement Denied.
The clause in the memorandum to
which the Belgians and French OBJ
jected was phrased to give Russia
the option of restoring confscated
property to former foreign owners
or Of compensating for the property
thus seized The Belgians charged
this was a scheme to transfer oil
properties originally belonging to
Belgian interests to the British
Shell Company.
Later. however. Walter Samuel
chairman of the Shell company, ar
rived at Genoa and denied the
charges. saying that no kind Of oil
agreement had been concluded with
the SnVIafS and that naOnffafinna .
had been suspended before the
Genoa conference because ''it would
he improper to negotiate privately
during the conference"
Blow to NonagEressIon Pact.
THESE negotiations have not been
renewed ne asserted emphatically.
and he insisted he had come to
Genoa entirely in connection with
the settlement of old claims against
Russia.
Lloyd George busted himself with
private discussions regarding the
nonasEression pact. but all hopes
that he can achieve anything in
this direction were virtually swept
away when the French delegation
announced they would demand the
document be based on a fundamen-
tai clause which would specifically
prevent any alteration or modifica- =
tion of the Versailles treaty.
Considered by Cabinet.
Other delegations concede that
the Germans would never sign a
treaty with such a clause in it. and
that hence il will be impossible to
negotiate a pact acceptable to these
two extreme views.
Louis Barthou, 1t was stated by
the French delegation. carried the
original English draft. as later
modified by Premier Benes of
Czecho-Slovakia. to Paris with him
for inspection by Premier Poincare
and the French cabinet 1t was
explained that when Barthou re-
turns tomorrow. he will bring the
draft back and will insist that the
Versailles treaty remain untouched
and unaffected in any way by the
nonaggression pact.
May Finish by May Is.
Lloyd George spent some time
comforting with Foreign Minister
Skirmint of Poland over questions
relating to the nonaggression pact
and the adjustment of Eastern
frontiers in which Poland Is vi
tally interested. Indications that
the conference is nearing its close
are appearing daily. The economic
commission has adopted its final
report thus winding up the work
OF all the technical commissions
Most of the experts are leaving
for home tomorrow and many of
the clerical employees are being
sent back leaving only enough to
continue the work arising out of
the activities of the political COM
mittee. Many delegates now think
the conference viii finish its work
by MAY Is.