New-York tribune., 1922-05-13
French Hold
Genoa Policy
Is INDICATED
Lloyd Georges Proposal
for Truce Seen Hopeless,
and Program lSow Is to
Find a Way 10 Adjourn
Boundaries Big Obstacle
Little Entente Opposes
Submitting Their Terri
torial Rights to a Board
BY Wilbur Forrest

10y w Hull OIICoI
Copyright. 1922. New York Tribune Inc.
Special Gable to Tho Tribune
GENOA, May 1.-THE admission Of
Premier Lloyd George that all hope Of
general European agreement with
Russia has fed and tho only thing to
do now is to salvage at least some sort
of a peace pact from the negotiations is
regarded in some conference circles as
only play at q last desperate hope.
The opinion is expressed in many of{i-
cial quarters that unless the powers
in the next few days drop all national
ist considerations and concentrate on
the welfare Of Europe the Genoa con-
ference will bring the world nothing
but dangerous unrest.
Franceto- day ceased to be factor
in large way in the conference. The
French delegation feels that, despite
the occasional conflict in the views of
Louis Barthou. chief Of the delegation,
and Premier Poincare in Paris, the
French position as consolidated after
Barthou's trip to Paris has been fully
vindicated.
Barthou announced that he had re-
ccived instruction from Paris giving
him a free hand under conditions con-
sistcnt with French policy, to aid Lloyd
George in finding way out of the dy-
ing conference. Barthou communicated
this to the British Premier, who, with
Carlo Schanzer, chairman of the gath
ering, will now do all they can to find
a plausible way to end the sessions.
Little Entente Factor
The British announcement Of Lloyd
Georges belief that some sort of
truce is still possible gave the center
of the stage to a new but increasingly
powerful group of nations, the Little
Entente, which has fostered a peace
scheme. but not such as the British
have in mind. The possibilities of the
situation were outlined to the Tribune
spondent to-day by DR.. EduaId
Bcnes, Czecho-Slovakian Foreign Min
lister, who has been recognized as one
of the clcarest thinking and most logl-
cal statesmen of all those who came
to Genoa, with sincere desire to es-
tablish peace in Europe.
Benes expressed the opinion that
Llyod Georges desire to straighten out
the controversies over the territorial
boundaries Of Eastern Galicia, Bess-
arabia and Wilma, as incidental to his
aggression pact, would be highly
dangerous to European peace, threat
ening immediate war, but would also
show that solution of these questions
was not now possible.
AS soon as the Little Entente learned
of the British plan, Skirmunt, Of the
Polish delegation, and Bratiano, Of
Rumania, hurried to Lloyd Georges
villa. Skirmunt urged the British
Premier not to insist on quick disposal
of the territorial question, such as
Wilma, which has been in the hands of
the League of Nations for two years,
by the Poles with the permission Of
the Allied Ambassadors Council. Skir-
munt pointed out that Eastern Galicia
has q polyglot population of Russians,
Magyars. Germans and Poles and that
Poland would never consent to the set
tlement of her rights there by any
power except the Allied Supreme Coun-
Gil, and then only by the amending of
existing treaties. Both the Russians
and Germans, having interests in East
ern Galicia, are participating in the
Genoa negotiations and therefore, Skir-
munt told Lloyd George, he would with
draw from Genoa Immediately under
orders from Warsaw if this question
was even broached.
Bratiano, on behalf of the Rumanian
government, told Lloyd George virtu-
ally the same thing. Rumania occupies
territory with the permission Of the
Allies and she can never consent to be
drawn into discussion of these rights
ested in forcing a quick decision.
Fears Russian Aggression
Benes told the correspondent that
he believed that it was imprudent at
this time to try to arrange a non-ag-
gression pact. He said he believes It
would involve another rift in the en-
tente cordiale over the Interpretation
Of existing treaties. 1t is Benes's de-
sire to do all he can to maintain this
greater alliance, upon which the
strength Of the Little Entente rests.
In his own investigation of the pos
sibilities of non-aggression pact,
Benes found that, although France was
willing to accept such an agreement
provided present treaties were respect
ed, Germany would not go in on any
that while Russia might be party to
it while commissions are studying her
future relations with the rest Of the
world, she would assume the right Of
military aggression against her neigh
bors immediately upon the expiration
of the pact or "truce," as the British
now call it.
Danger in Parley's Collapse
Poland feels that her treaty of Riga
with the Bolsheviki would be nullified
by a non-aggression pact and that it's
expiration would then leave Poland in
worse position than ever.
From sources other than Russian the
Tribune correspondent learned that the
Bolsheviki are now fearful of an At
tack on them by the Little Entente ma
tions in the event of Q general break
down Of the European negotiations.
Thus Genoa, a melange Of hopes and
fears, has become far different from
what Lloyd George started out to make
it. With anxious negotiations under way
the next few days between the confer
ence leaders Benes stands out as an inn
portant figure who may play principal
| part in the plans which the big and
little ententes will lay to maintain
their balance Of power in Europe in the
interests Of peace.
prrah Wor Eror,l p:lI.