The Washington herald., 1922-05-04
Belgium Spurns Russian
Memorandum to Save
Petroleum Fields.
DELEGATES WATCH
PARIS ANXIOUSLY
Fear France Will Quit
Parley-Slavs Study
Ultimatum.

GENOA. May s.-DeieRates here
are snxiously watching Paris. be-
iieving that the future course OF
the Genoa conference depends on
whether the French government de-
cides to withdraw IN disgust or
tries once more TO Join in concert
action with the other allies
Premier Poincare and Minister
Barthou. head Of the French dee
CATION. are conferring over this all
important question Of policy at
Paris.
France. Il is known, is highly dis
pleased at the proposals handed 20
Russia and may take the position
that chances Of agreement at GenJa
are hopeless and that IL is useless
for her TO continue at the confer
ence any longer.
Delegates here were advised thai.
the French cabinet has decided 10
support Belgium in her objections
TO the clause in the Russian mem
orandum regarding restoration Of
property.
Pear Loss Of OIL Intere<tS
From Belgian sources IL was
learned that there is a big oil
question lying behind the refusal
TO accept this clause a. the Rus
sian memora ndum. The fight for
control Of the Russian petroleum
fields. which is now raging among
American. French. British. Belgian
and Dutch groups, is involved. the
Belgians say.
They declare that Lloyd Georges
plan. under which the Russians
need not restore original property.
| provided they offer equivalent com
pensation to the former owners. Is
scheme by which the Soviess.
having corralled the big Russian
oil fields from their private owners,
some OF whom were. foreigners.
could turn them over to a single
oil syndicate.
The tight that would result for
these concessions under the nro-
posed plan would be avoided en-
trely by requiring the Russians 20
restore the property TO its original
owners. the Belgians say. The Re'-
gians fear that unless this is msda
compulsory their oil interests win
be turned over BY the Soviets :.
one OF the larger and more pow
erful groups. such as tS- Hzell or
the Royal Dutch.
Russians study Reply.
This new light on the Belgian no.
sition Indicates how deep a game
is being played at Genoa ara rGv.s
concrete significance TO a disp,,e
which for time seemed 70 be
largely academic
Meanwhile, the Russians are lei.
surely examining the new memo
randum which was delivered az tbe
extremely inconvenient hour of :
a. m. Rakowsky. who had sDckeu
so harshly of the new terms, was
dragged from his bed by the mes
senger who refused TO hs7A r.le
document TO anyone else.
The Russians Indicated tha~
would make no reply until thev
have given the most exhaustive
] study to the document. The frsf
question they are asking is. who's.
baby is this" noting that the .,i-
timatum" is viewed in one light hv
the British and in an entirely sff-
ferent one by the French and BEL
gans This allied breach Is for the
moment playing into the hands of
the Soviets, who Indicate now that
they will not fatly reject the entire
memorandum. but will continue ar
EuinG with the allies. using the "ul-
nmatum" as a basis Of discussion
Russts Asks bigger Loans.
The first Russian reaction points
out that the allied financial aid
proposed is inadequate. Tchitcher-
In. in hts speech on this phase Of
the proposals at the plenary ses-
sion. reiterated the necessity q,
loans from the allied governments
instead Of mere credits from private
enterprises.
Tchitcherln. IN this address. said
u would be impossible for the So
viets TO renounce their control over
the exchange question and pu. Il IN
the hands Of a commission. He also
could not agree to referring several
questions to the league Of nations
emphasizing that the SovietS had
not recognized that body. He said
u was very dificult for the Soviets
10 Cooperate with the various gov
ernments because there Is no Boil
sheNist representatives in most
countries.
Rathensu Lanents Hostility.
Walter Rathenau. the German
delegate. stirred up a string OF
alibLs from the other nations when
he declared the nations here are
acting like a lot OF men who are
Gagged in and trying 20 cut each
others threats instead OF making
a common effort 20 get out"
Tchitcherin hastened to explain
that the Russians had done their
best to cooperate. but had been
hampered by the resolutions
adopted az previous conferencex-
meaning Cannes and Boulocne-ln
which they had not participated.
Premier Fadts. president of the
conference. congratulated the dele
gates on the work OF the financial
and transportation committees as
showing the desire of men Of good
I will In all nations TO arrive al an
understanding In good faith.r
The question OF obtaining Anneri-
can cooperation came during .
discussion OF the financial report.
In moving the adoption Of the re-
port. worthington Evans. 81 the
British delegation. remarked that
the currency reforms proposed
could not be carried out without
Americas cooperation. He ~