The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-12
BRITISH ARE FOR
 HAGUE MEETING AS FARLEY YOF EXPERTS
Poincare's Note Is Upheld in <, Reply, But Issue Taken /, on Soviet Proposal of
 May n
Rr Assooiated Prens

Paris, June 1.-The British reply to Premier Poineare's memorandum setting forth the French attitude agrees that The Hague conference should be a constitution of experts, and should avoid political and diplo- matic questions. Great Britain dis agrees, however, regarding M. Poin- cares demand that the soviet govern ment withdraw its memorandum Of May il, holding that it Is superseded by the soviets later declarations, and that in any case request for with drawal should have been made before the Russians were invited to The Hague.
 The British government considered the Cannes condition should be the basis for the program, and asserts that private property in Russia should be restored to it's owners or that they should be fully compensated, but that Russia's sovereignty should be re- spected, and no program along that line should be imposed on her in ad- vance, if her indispensable co-opera- tion was to be expected. Great Brit ain considers 1t necessary that Rus sia's war debt should be reduced in part.
 Need of Guarantee
 The private interests that must be counted on to open credits to the soviet, says the reply, will need guar antees. and the governments can aid them to secure these guarantees. There is no question of "capitulation" by Europe, the note continues, for the statesmen taking part in the attempt to restore Russia are quite capable of protecting their own interests.
 In view of the British contention tta al The Hague shall only be routine preparation, the French government may abandon it's plan to have M Be- moist, the French minister at The Hague, represent France, and may fol- low the British example of sending only experts who will act throughout all the sessions.
 .CO-operation Urged
 The reply delivered to the foreign office today strongly emphasizes the necessity of cooperation with the Russian delegates and declares that the French suggestion that the nom Russian commission should elaborate a complete scheme of Russian recon struction without reference to the Russian delegation. and should then present 1t as an ultimatum for Rus sia to takes or leave. Is to make a travesty of the purposes intrusted by the Genoa conference to The Hague commission.
 "If that had been the object of
 The Hague meeting," the reply
 adds. "it would have been more
 courteous, ms well as more prac-
 ticnl. not to invite the Russian
 commission there at aII."
 IL is further declared that concen- tration and cooperation are abso- lutely necessary if practical results are desired and the British govern ment, the reply says, Is not prepared to adopt any other method. It dis approves tho method proposed by the French government, not only because in it's opinion this method is imprac- tieal but also because the govern ment regards it as inconsistent with the principle to which the French government attaches the greatest im- portance-avoidance of politics.
 British View sound
 Contendins~th 1t is solely a mat ter for the Russian government whether it makes restitution of pri- Nate property or pays compensation, the reply says that His Majestys gov ernment would be repudiating Brit fish principle and British practice if it took any other view. and it thinks it hardly necessary to prove that this principle and practice are common to the French and the United States governments and to civilized govern ments In every continent. and to att tempt to force on Russia any other principle would be to demand what no sovereign state ever has been willing to concede. It entirely agrees, how ever, that compensation must be real and not of the shadow.
 The reply argues that to attempt to