The Washington times., 1925-10-05
PARLEY ON
SECURITY
OPENS
British Foreign Minister In
sists Russian Influence
Be Kept Out
By S. DUNBAR WEYER
international News Service

LOCARNo, Switzerland, Oct. s.
-Voicing an appeal to "let the
dead past bury its dead" Austen
Chamberlain, British foreign min
lister, today started the security
pact negotiations in progress with
a direct insistence that Russia's
influence be kept out of the con-
versations.
Chamberlain, in a statement to
correspondents, let it be known
that the allies are placing upon
Germany the responsibility for
keeping the conference free from
the age-old battle between the
east and the west.
Clears Air Of Rumors
BY this maneuver the British
foreign minister cleared the air of
rumors and reports that M.
Tchitcherin. Russian foreign min
lister who has been in Berlin, will
have a dominating influence over
the security pact conversations.
Herr Stresemann, German foreign
minister, had declared that the
German delegation neither leaned
to Russia on the east, nor to the
European powers on the west, but
sought only a secured position Of
equality. The allies seized upon
this and Chamberlain replying in
their behalf virtually declared:
Very well, we will take you at
your word that there will be no
Russian affairs brought up at the
conference
Chamberlain also Significantly
pointed out that all nations come
to this conference as free nations
thus for the first time since the
world war Germany sits at the
conference table with the allies on
an equal basis.
It was expected that the con-
ference would not get under way
with celebrity. even as regards the
preliminaries, so that real action
toward the ends sought could no.
be expected before the middle of the
week.
Plan Joint Program
Secretary Chamberlain and foreign
Minister BRAND spent Sunday draw.
ing up a program of procedure.
particularly sorting out those points
which should not be submitted for
discussion. The chief of these
seemed to be the question Of war
guilt. which Germany repudiated In
her acceptance Of the conference in
vitation and on which the German
delegates are subject to strong pres
sure from Berlin.
In the center OF this Swiss town,
the headquarters OF the procedure
has been converted in a conference
room, a square table with four
seats on each side occupying the
center of the stage. In addition, a
few smaller tables have been pro-
vided in the corners of the room
for the experts secretaries. Thus
tar, no seats have been provided for
the Poles or Czechs.
Refuses To Prophecy
Chamberlain refused to forecast
the results of the conference when
he met the correspondents, decIar-
Ing 1--WE would be fools to pretend
to forecast the outcome, but we
hope we viii reach a settlement
that viii lighter the load of care
and sufferings that rests upon the
nations
Whatever agreement is reached
at Locarno will not bind the Brit
ish Dominions, unless they choose
to ratify the agreement, Chamber
lain said.
Although the British foreign min.
lister evaded the direct question of
Polish and Czecho- Slovakian par
ucipation in the pact he said sig
ntficantly that he did not see how
the conferences work can be con-
cluded without them"
Heckled regarding NJ. Tchitch.
erin's visit to Berlin, Chamberlain
said:
81 see no reason why that visit
or the proposed commercial treaty
should in any way affect this con-
ference"
Chamberlain pointed out that
limitations to the conference were
laid down by the Germans in their
first note Of proposal regarding a
security pact, and he said that
within these limitations the allies