Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-08

Conference
Near Crisis
France 10 Stand by Belgium
in Opposing Allies Policy
in Dealing With Property
Of Foreigners in Russia.
Await Reply Of Soviets
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sia dealing with the property in
Russia Of foreign owners. In con-
sequence OF this decision. which was
communicated 10 Premier Lloyd
George by NJ. Bsr,hou. head OF the
French delegation. another crisis has
arisen which endangers the confer
ence and may or may not be settled
before the British prime minister re-
turns.
II the views OF Belgium with re-
Speet 10 this article can be met-and
il is considered possible that the
Belgians may modify their demands
to some degree-Francc viii place
no obstacle in the way Of a settle
nent The Russians. however, are
still TO be heard from. Their reply
will probably be delivered within
two or three days and j, is known
definitely tina, they will present nu-
merous objections 20 the conditions
set forth by the allied powers.
Mr.. Lloyd George and NJ. Barihou
OF France held conference at 5
this afternoon. after which il was
stated that their meeting offered no
relief OF the strained situation OF the
conference.
France Stands Firm.
NJ. Bar,hou stated that France was
firm in its decision to stand by Bel
GUM and that he had been instructed
in Paris to withhold French appro-
val OF the Russian memorandum
until Belgium had agreed to article
scven-iormcrly article six-rcla;ing
TO the restoration OF private prop
crty to the former foreign owners.
While the head OF the French dele
CATION gave assurances that France
wanted the conference at Genoa to
succeed, belief was expressed in con-
ference circles this evening that his
firm position concerning the prop
erty question was likely to place the
conference in jeopardy.
Mr.. Lloyd George said after the
meeting that the Russian reply must
be received before it was possible
to take any further steps to meet the
Belgian requirements. 1t was still
uncertain whether the Russian reply
would be given Monday or not. al
though it is expected.
Mr.. Lloyd George and N. Barthou !
also discussed the proposed meeting
of the powers signatory to the treaty
of Versailles to discuss German rep
arations that are due May 81. The
French chief delegate stated that
France was. not prepared to discuss
reparations until after May 81, when
it will be known whether the Ger.
mans will default in payments due
on that date.
France May Take Action.
This attitude. it is generally be-
lieved, is indicative of Frances in
tention to handle reparations mat
ters alone, as was indicated by Pre-
mier Poincare in his recent address
at Bar-Le-Duc.
The official French narrative of |
today's happenings not only shows
that the conference is endangered,
but also indicates distinct diver
gence of views between France and
England. tending to emphasize the
differences that frequently have
arisen between them during the COM
ference,
Turkey has been dragged into the
conference by simple paragraph in
the memorandum presented to the
Russian delegates, which will be
treated without gloves in Russia's
forthcoming reply.
This paragraph is in clause one.
which reads:
The Russian soviet government
will use all its influence to assist in
the restoration of peace in Asia
Minor, and will adopt an attitude of !
strict neutrality between the belliger-
ent parties"
Regarded as Affront.
Foreign Minister Tchitcherin and
his assistants regard this paragraph
as distinct affront and an attempt
to regulate Russian foreign affairs.
NJ. Tchitcherin says Russia made
peace with the Angora government
and is on the best of terms with the
Kemalists.
If England will quit supporting
Greece in its pretentions in Turkey,
there will be peace there one Rus
sian delegate explained, in discussing
the paragraph.
1T is impudent for the very pow
ers which stirred up trouble in Con-
stantinople and throughout Turkey
to try to tell Russia to use her in
fluence to restore peace in country
where they are Encouraging war con-
and are actually financing
it," he said.
Clause Is of the memorandum to
the Russians also will provoke an
angry retort from the soviet .delega-
ton. This clause reads:
The soviet government will re-
store to the Rumanian government
the valuables deposited in Moscow
by said Rumanian government"
1t refers to the complete Ruman-
ian gold reserve which was deposit
ed in Moscow and confiscated by
the bolshevists. The Russian an
swer to this claim will be that Ru-
mania has seized Bessarabia, which is
of priceless value to Russia, and also
that Rumania has made war against
the soviets.
B. V. D. Signs Erected
Crete, Ncb., May 7.-(Special. III
The B. V. D. signs have been erect \
ed along the auto road from Reatrice |