Evening star., 1922-06-15
Correspondents Force Way
Into Palace Despite Or
der of Secrecy.
FRANCE STILL DEMANDS
GUARANTEES OF RUSS
Great Britain and Italy Apparent
ly Ready to Pursue Con-
ciliatory Course.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
THE HAGUE. June 15.-The confer
ence which is to consider Russian
affairs was called to order in the
peace palace this afternoon by the
Dutch foreign minister, II. A. Van
karnebeek, sixty delegates. repre-
senting about thirty countries, were
present.
All the sessions will be absolutely
secret it was announced Even the
representatives of the world press
were denied admission to the peace
palace. The newspapermen insisted
upon entering the palace grounds,
presenting their protest personally to
the Dutch foreign minister, who re-
fused to admit them to the opening
session, and said they should not
have been admitted to the palace
grounds. as the meetings are all to
be secret.
The visiting delegates appeared to
be helpless in the situation. Many
of them expressed annoyance over
the attitude of the Dutch government.
whcih. as host. apparently decided to
exert every effort to avoid publicity.
The at least temporary failure of
the efforts at Paris to organize an
international loan for the restoration
of Germany has undoubtedly served
to augment the pessimism obtaining
in many countries concerning the
prospects of making definite agree
ments with communistic Russia on
such vital matters as credits, the
treatment to be accorded TO property
held by foreigners and the payment
of the Russian debts.
Nevertheless determination was
evident among the delegates gathered
here for the preliminary meetings to
make every conceivable effort to
reach the results which the Genoa
conference did not succeed in achiev-
| ing.
Holland Takes Part.
Although Holland disclaims any in
| tention or desire of directing the con-
| ference. Foreign Minister yaRKarne-
| beck delivered the opening address
as temporary president, welcoming
the delegates 10 the Netherlands and
! voicing Hollands sincere wishes for
| the success of the conference.
, Chief interest centers in the har-
nomination of the attitudes of Eng
land, France and Italy on how to APP
proach the soviet delegation officially.
for France shows disposition 10
hold tenaciously to her Genoa de-
mand for suitable guarantees from
the bolsheviki before undertaking
any new relations with Russia.
France objects to the soviet MEM
orandum submitted to the Genoa
conference on May II. which attacked
the capitalistic systems of the other
countries and charged these nations
with doing many things-confiscating
property, for eXample-equally drastic
! with the bolshevik measures to which
they objected. The French would like
to see this memorandum withdrawn
by the soviets before official pour
parlers with the Russia delegates
are inaugurated.
Fnvor Cancellation Policy.
Great Britain and Italy apparently
are ready to pursue more concilia-
tory policy The premIminary meet
ings beginning today, therefore,
promise to be most important.
AS the delegates entered the Peace
Falance one of the first objects to greet
! them was a simply marble bust of An
drew Carnegie in a niche at the head
of the grand staircase, and in the bal
cony is a striking bronze statue OF
Christian emblem of peace and good
will among men. This impressive fig.
! ure is duplicate of the famous .Christ
of the Andes, and was presented bt
Argentina.
When the bolsheviki arrive they viii
find near the main portal a reminded
of the regime they overthrew. in thi
form of a great marble vase which
, was presented TO the Peace Palace by
the late Gar Nicholas.
NJ. Van karnebeek called the confer.
ence together in the hall used by the
international court of justice, which
the court graciously turned over for
| the use of the conference.