The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-05-26
Premier Cheered at Close|
of Day Marked by
Fierce Debate.
POINTS TO RUSSIA, ]
ANSWERING CRITICS
Challenges Lord Cecil to
Get America to Hague,
Amid Applause.

LONDON. May 25.-Lloyd George
apparently has fought through the
assault on his Genoa policy un1
scathed. and those who predicted
that at last the little welshman1
star was about to set seem TO be id
for another period Of watchfu1
waiting.
The British premier plunged fntd
the hostile fire in, cor-mons with hid
oId-time boIdness. fought every incu|
Of the way. and hurried OF smiling
at the end. while his supporterd
cheered him wildly as the hero q
another parliamentary battle.
This. in brief, is what happened
when Lloyd George came before
commons today 20 report on the re1
suits Of the Genoa conference. A
usual the forecasts Of oppositio5 Z
leaders that Lloyd Georges day q
judgment had come proved 70 be al
wrong as they have a score Of tuned
before.
Answer. Every Attack.
All the heavy artillery Of the op1
position was in action during the
attack. There was Herbert AsquithI
the former premier, leading the Old
Liberal forces. assisted by Lord
Robert Cecil and a stan Of lessei
lights. But the willy premier wss ID
like a jack-in-the-box every tims
with a smashing retort. His old
wit, his deft phrasinE Of a point. hil
shafts of sarcasm. and what pleased
his friends most. his old-time smiII
ing confidence. were back in fun
bloom II was Lloyd Georges daS
and whether the victory proves last
ing or only temporary. 81 stood oul
vividly against the background ol
gloomy predictions built up dUrins
the last few days.
Il want to work with the good viii
OF the deflfocracy Of France. Franc<
and Great Britain must work TO.
sether for the peace Of Europe and
on that principle We viii work a
whole heartedly as we did 20 defend
| Europe against the aggression Of
common enemy" Lloyd George, rel
garded by France as the arch enemy
! Of the republic and the Nersaiilei
treaty, told the commons. Ills re.
marks are believed to mean that al
! Anglo-French agreement has beer
. reached over the action to be take I
May 81 when the reparations' ultI.
matum to Germany expires. and In.
d!cates that France has acceeded q
Downing Streets desire not To TAX.
individual military action in the
Ruhr or elsewhere.
Despite the impressive line-up 81
the opposition forces. the attack OF
Lloyd George dealt largely w.tl
the policy Of private converSationi
pursued at Genoa and the mea ger.
ness Of the results achieved. com.
bined with expressions OF regrel
thar efforts to induce the partici'
patton Of the United States has
been unsuccessful.
AsquIth Opposes
After Lloyd George had made hii
formal defense Of the Genoa con.
ference. stressing the non-aggres.
sion pact and the necessity OF ,
settlement with Russia. Asquitl
opened the oppositions attack.
The results at Genoa. Asquitl
contended. were Increasingly fev
and failed 10 advance by singh
step the economic reconstruction o
Europe-a task which was actuali,
relecated to the Hague conference
The only positive achievement
was when the thirty-four power
undertook 10 refrain from flying a
each others throats for fou
months after the Hague confer
ence." Asquith said. but. no
counting Germany and Russia. al
Of these powers were already boun,
by the covenant Of the league o
nations. which Is far more solemr
and enduring pact. II IS a matte
Of regret that America felt obi ge,
to absent herself from the gather
ing
Labor Wants More Parieyr.
Frances "half-h hea rted" partici
patton also brought an expressior
Of regret from Asquith.
John T. Clines. I.ahorite. contin-
uing the debate. though in a much
! milder form. declared the So-called
peace pact was in fac. a war pac;
because European minds are more
warlike now than they were in
1914. However. the L.aborites. a,
{ represented by Clines agreed tina,
the conferences should continue ir
order 10 rectisy the crimes and
hlunders Of Versailles and hoped
that Lloyd George would continus
his efforts to obtain a general peace
with Russia.
Lord Robert Cecil objected 70 the
private conversations which Lloyd
George employed at Genoa TO get
the most important work done. ThA
exclusion Of the reparations and
debts questions dodgcd the very
subjects which have kept Europe IN
turmoil, Lord Robert insisted.
Premier Flights Back.
is The Hague conference likely
to be any more successful thar
/ Genoa" he inquired dubiously.
Debate continued about tvs
hours when one Of the friendly
members offered an amendment "a
the measure technically before the
I commons. This. under the rules. al
lowed members who had spoken
previously to tske the moor again
Lloyd George was thus enabled
to re-enter the debate and reply "a
his Critics. He had originally plan-
ned to speak after the oppositfor
had made its attack. hut crittcism
| of this strategy was so general thai
he abandoned IL and instead acgorn.
L