The New York herald., 1922-04-06

Spscid! cable TO THE NEW YORK HERALD.
! Copyright. 1922 by The NEW York HERALD.
| New York Herald Bureau,
Paris. April 5.
/ Tremors are beginning to run
through Europe as the time nears for
the Genoa conference. They are. puz-
zlinC the best political seismologists.
Is Europe on the verge of another
political and economic convulsion or is
il facing a new era of political quie-
tude?
This Is the question being asked in
every political capital as the delega-
tions OF the thirty-one nations invited
are beginning to converge toward the
Italian city. bringing once more to a
common point all those conflicting
racial. political and economic interests
for which Europe seems to America
like a continent cursed.
Prime Minister Lloyd George and
Premier Poincare will have a three
hours conversation either at the DUAL
d'Orsay or at the British Embassy here
late Friday afternoon. Indications that
NJ. Poincare Is likely to take the hrst
opportunity to break Off Frances con-
nection with the Genoa conference on
the grounds of violation. of the Boulogne
and Cannes agreements probably are
responsible for, the British Prime Min
isters efforts TO have private prelim-
mary talk with his French colleague
Premier ,Poincare replied this afternoon
that he was willing to hold an informal
conversation here.
Common Program Lacking.
The developments to-day OF the ex-
traordinary situation Of an unprepared
and unchanged conference as picked up
/ from the political tremors were.
First--Reaewed evidence that the old
nations OF the Supreme Council on the
eve of the Genoa conference are with
out any common program, That their
old solidarity was swept away at
Cannes Is being emphasized by the In
structions which Nj. Poincare gave 10
the French delegation to-day to insist
upon preliminary meeting at Genoa
! TO enforce acceptance. Icy the Soviets of
/ the Cannes stipulatlons. which meeting
| should include not only the old Supreme
4 Council nations but the Little Entente
\ upon a basis OF equality. This is be-
I lieved TO be unacceptable TO Mr.. Lloyd
\ George.
4 sesond--Louis Barthou head OF the
I French delegation. who believed 1t nec-
essary 10 have plenary powers TO meet
this and other situations at Genoa, had
his demand turned down to-day by NJ
Poincare. who still insists that every
question must be put up to him for de-
cision by telegraph. NJ. Barthou con-
tends that this makes him little more
than an ONCE boy. Consultations which
are now being held over NJ. Barthou's
4 .lax
Poincare himself going for the opening
Third-Meanwhile Great Britain on
the eve of the conference has Just
given France a terrible jolt by delivering
a message at the French Embassy in
London stating that at the expiration
this month OF the present three year
agreement Great Britain will expect
France to consider the payment OF in
terest on her war loan from Great Brit
ain. The French fear that this British
move is to compel iner to bring up a,
Genoa Germany's reparations debt to
her.
Fourth--THE NEW rosK HERALD cor.
respondent at Prague reports. on high
authority. that DIR. Eduard Ben,s. Pre-.
nifer OF Czccho-Slovakia. will himself
propose at Genoa that the United States
and Great Britain advance an enormous
u
toms to pay the reparations. which indi.
Gates that the head OF the Little En-
tente" Is considering bringing up the
| reparations despite the French taboo.
Fifth-Information from many CEN
ters indicates that the British con-
| sortium scheme was absolutely dead
even before Beriin's reported agreement
TO help the Russians fight H. All the
small business interests In France and
Great Britain were against IT,
The whole success or failure OF tn,
/ Genoa conference may easily turn on the
French demand for n preliminary confer
c1ce there embracing the Little En-
tente' and possibly neutral nations
which in the British view would resul;
in lining up one part OF Europe aga inst
the other before the conference opens.
The French hope by a preliminary
conference to get the votes OF the Little
Entente" to keep the conference strict.
ly non-politicai. II is becoming less and
less certain. however. that Dr. Eduard
Benes. Premier Of Czecho- -Slovakla. In
tent upon the development OF his own
and neighboring countries. will accept
the French policy.
The trouble in fhe french delegation
is the significant fact that France Ii
without a political plan beyond purely
negative firmnesS. French safety
| Premier Poincare believes, consists III
watching Premier Lloyd George by wire
ratherd than in person, and he IL moi
repeating Woodrow Wilson's mistake in
going to Paris.
Nobody has yet solved the riddle ol
how TO discuss the Soviet army withou,
bringing In the French army. Aside
from the question Of disama ment. which
some OF these European nations want
brought up and others want excluded
there is the oversize dowing issue OF IN.
ferailled debts which France wants "a
exclude and which nine out OF every ten
delegations apparently want TO discuss
and these cannot possibly be brought ur
without including the reparations, which
the French want reserved for a later
discussion between the nations which
are interested.
The French reply 10 the British re.
minder OF the non-payment OF interest
will be that France lent almost as
much money to her European Allies
az she borrowed from England and tho
interest question must be mutually ar
ranged. The other nations hold wi-n
| seeming correctness that this question
dominates the issue OF how much finan-
cial aid can be given TO Russia by each
Government and that Il therefore fails
within the scope OF the Genoa program.
4