New-York tribune., 1922-05-04
Cabinet Votes to Oppose
Encroachment of Soviet
Upon Private Property;
See Menace to America
Britain Forsaking
Allies. Is Charge
French Say Lloyd George
Seeks Commercial Aid
in Fight of Oil Inter
esis for Concessions
spcciot coblc 70 7he Tri6ps,

approval which the French delega
ton gave to the note to Russia
drafted at Genoa yesterday and
signed by all the conferees, cxcept
Belgium. will be withdrawn. and
France viii stand by her neighbor i
resisting any cncroachment upos
private property in Russia.
This decision was reached at /
Cabinet meeting here today attended,
by Louis Barthou, who had come
from Genoa to lay the whole case
before his colleagues.
AS the situation now stands. Pre-
mier Poincare and NJ. Barthou arc
in full accord. The policy Of France
at the conference will be one Of 10y
atty to her old allies. She is unwill-
ing to give up her traditional friend
ship for Belgium, and she will 10,
enter into any arrangement thai
jeopardizes American Interests.
which she considers imperiled by
the concessions made in the note t.
Russia.
While the French government Is viii
ing to concede the right Of Russia to
seize property for government uses. il
is not willing to see private property
seized for the purpose of selling i. T.
the highest bidder The Cabinet took
the stand to-day that the recognition
OF this principle is fundamental. with
out which foreign aid is impossible.
Rarthou's Piars Upset
Barthou had returned 10 Paris ex.
pccting to influence Poncare to sign
the memorandum TO Russia which his
delegation had proyiSonally accepted.
and then induce the Premier to meet
Lloyd George to discuss reparations
But in this he was disappointed. as
the entire Cabinet united in the s.
cision to remain true to their convic-
tions, even though their stand resulted
in complete breaking up of the con
ference.
The position taken by the Cabinet is
that if the conference now breaks UP
the blame vii lattach to those who
have forsaken their allies.
The Cabinet discussed the latest ir
formation tending TO prove that Brit
ish oil interests had an agreement with
the Soviet government.
Poncarc's followers arc pleased with
his dcte termination to remain in Paris,
where they believe he can follow de
velopments in Genoa with clearer
vision than if he plunged into the
midst Of the turmoil The Cabinet l.
firm in its determination not to sane
ton meeting of the Supreme Council
TO discuss reparatlons until after the
Reparation Commission has made It's
report on May 81.
At the close of the Cabinet meeting
Poincare congratulated Barthou on the
admirable manner in which he had
handled French affairs at the Genos
conference.
Fight for Oil Fields Seen
1t is the belief in French Official cir
cles that there is n battle royal going
on under the surface at Genoa hetween
the Standard Oil Company and the
Shell and Royal Dutch OIL interests and
that it is THIS fight which is actuatinc
Lloyd Georges present policy. Franc
is not willing TO sacrifice her own in
terests for the purpose Of forwarding
those Of a British trust. but would ra-
ther, if given a choice, favor the Stand
ard Oil Company.
Leonid Krassin, of Russia. den;e.
tween the Soviet government and thc
Shell and Royal Dutch oil interests
but Mr.. Rakowski, another Russian de-
cgate, admits that such negotiations
have been going on for some time. l.
is asserted here that Great Britain IS
capable Of Juggling with international
interests TO favor the British OIL in.
terests.
1t is pointed out tina. Great Britain
J;J tb,x ~
she disregarded .hc Serbian encroach-
mcnts until th. 1ers an Oil COMPANY
acquired roc entire Albanian conces-
sons. At tnas moment Lloyd George
"discovcred" the Balkan country and
Immediately demanded that the am
bassadors' council protect tae nation
and establish definite frontiers.
Support of United States Expected
Bearing this in mind the French
realize that the Allied memorandum
tends to protect the British interests
and make possible the further acqui-
sition of concessions, some of which
were formerly held by France and
Belgium and also by American con
Germs.
Despite the fact that the partisans
Of Lloyd George are declaring thai
France is isolating herself by her
policy at Genoa, confidence is expressed
in official circles here that Switzerland.
Belgium and the Little Entente will
stand by her. The backing of America
in this stand is also expected.
1t is asserted generally here tina.
England is forsaking her allies to OBJ
tain commercial advantages. The
Temps" considers that the note to
Russia is contrary to the recommen-
dations Of the experts. as we'll as thu
demands Of the British Russian Credi-
tors Association. which claims guar
antics in case Russia was unable 10
give back the properties seized since
The war.
The Temps" sums up the situation
BY saying: "All dispositions foreseen
by the Allied experts in order to guar
antee the immediate security of for
eigners who will work in Russia have
disappeared, leaving no trace"
To Consider Non-Aggressior
PARIS. May by The Associated
Fress).-The Cabinet will NEE. again