Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-21
LLOYD GEORGE
Continued from Page One)


leading delegates to receive the
| newspaper men daily worked SO we'll.
Removing his winter overcoat with
which Mr.. Lloyd George seeks to
avoid the April chills Of Genoa, he
rather YEARLY stroked his thick
white locks. His first words gave
disappointment-T came not to make
a speech. but rather to answer ques-
tons, and. so. clear up misunder-
| standings he said but Immediately
| added, God is in his heaven and
the conference at Genoa still lives.
and is going strong. The public may
| be said TO be divided into two cate
| gories-those who want to see the
conference succeed and those who
would like to see it go down in de-
feat But the latter will not see
their desire crowned. We are work.
| Ing through our difficulties success
| fully"
The prime minister then made the
announcement that the difficulties
| growing out Of the signing of a sepa-
! rate Russo-German accord would be
| overcome and later he made it clear
that he had good reason to believe the
German delegates were preparing 10
accept the suggestions laid down in
the note sentthem by the Allied rep
| resentatives. In it were specific condi
tions that the Germans would be ex-
| pected not to sit on the commissions
| which henceforth will deal with Rus
sian questions, because the Germans
| had already settled their affairs with
Russia outside the conference.
, Il don't want to anticipate the char
acter of the soviet answer to our pro-
! posals for a general accord with Rus
STA continued the premier. but l
would be surprised IL it We're not of
such a character as to permit us to go
on with our work of reconstructing the
convulsed and devastated continent.
The sub-commission on political af-
fairs will meet tomorrow to consider
the soviet reply, which is due tonight
or tomorrow"
The meeting of the premier and
newspaper men was then thrown open
! to questions. with the understanding
! that all should be submitted in writing.
This announcement curbed the en-
| thusiasm OF some who seemed prepared
to submit the British leader to grill
/ ing cross examination. The first ques-
! tion was:
why does DR.. Pathenau say you
knew all about the RussoGerman
| treaty in advancec"
Il don't know whether Rathenau
said that or not" came back the pre-
mier with amazing quickness. Ger
tainly he did not say it to me. If he
did it would have been absolutely UNI
true. | knew nothing about the treaty
until met my colleagues on the way
to the afternoon meeting"
Mr.. LLOYD George emphasized that
everybody was on an equal footing at
Genoa. and that the Germans had
place on all the commissions which
were to discuss the accord affecting
Russia and all nations. To make sep
arate pact behind the backs of their
colleagues was an act of disloyalty on
the part of the Germans.
I'VE were justified in taking ener-
getic measures" declared the premier
The thing will have good effect on
the conference"
The next question was:
"Does the prime minister think that
the Russo German treaty represented
a deliberate attempt to wreck the
conference"
To this he replied:
Whatever we may think about the
accord. do not tllinl, it was nego-
tiated with the idea Of wrecking the
conference"
The next query awoke the prime
minister from his WEAKNESS. His
voice now clear and resonant and car
ried to every corner. where his audi
tors were striving not to lose word
what kind of people don't like the
Genoa conferencc?'
"Quarrelsome people" he exclaimed
with an impressive gesture, who like
to keep up hatieds between nations
and who rejoice at seeing conflicts
arise"
Mr.. Lloyd George affirmed that in
his judgment the work begun at Cen
GA would be taken up and pushed for
ward by the league OF nations. Ask
ed II Germany and Russia should be
members Of the league, he replied in
stantly:
Yes. The league of nations can
never do any thing until all nations
are members. With Russia and Ger
many absent more than half the pop
ulation of Europe is without represen-
tation."
DO you believe in IN absolutely ia
vorable issue of this conference?" was
the next question,
II do. I was confident before I
came here and my confidence has
grown despite all the difficulties which
have arisen. I never saw Il confer
ence without difficulty. And the more
| important the cases the greater are
the difficulties.
II have no hesitation is saying that
this conference will end in complete
restoration of the harmony of Europe.
II is the first time we have called all
Europe together. have profound
faith and conviction that 1t will end
| in the reconstruction Of Europe"