The New York herald., 1922-06-25
MURDER PERTURBS
HAGUE CONFERENCE
DR.. Rathenou Was Fauorite
Among Delegates,

! THE HAGUE, June "a (Associated
Press). The assassination of Foreign
Minister Rathenau. following soon after
that of Field Marshal Wilson, cast a
heavy gloom over the Hague confer
ence, many of whose members were.
closely associated with DR.. Rathenau
at Genoa. The German Foreign Min
lister was thrown with the Entente dele
gates there more than was any of the
other German representatives, because
OF his thorough knowledge of English,
French and Italian, arS his wide grasp
of the financial and economic situation
of Germany.
In spite of the Treaty of Rapallo.
signed by the Germans with the Soviet
Russian representatives on Easter Sun
day, which createo such a feeling Of
bitterness against, the German delega
tion. DIR. Rathenau managed to keep up
good relations with the former. enemy
delegations and by his unfailing courtesy
and charm did much to prevent the
Genoa conference being wrecked.
BY his tact In keeping silence when
the Entente decided that Germany
should not participate further in the
discussion of Russian affairs after the
Rapallo treaty was signed, DR.. Rathenau
undoubtedly averted controversy
which might easily have broken up the
conference at a time when the Entente
delegations were enraged by the sudden
announcement that Germany ana Russia
had come to terms independently of the
Genoa gathering.
Dr. Rathenau was the chief source Of
information for the press from the Ger
man delegation at Genoa, and he in
gratlated himself with the polyglot mass
of correspondent by giving audiences in
four languages and patiently repeating
his statements in order that the press
of the world might be served.
The Foreign Minister WASH slender
man. more than six feet tall and always
| Immediately dressed. The crown of his
head was bald. and he always had the
remaining hair closely cropped. His
head had a domelike appearance. and
the cartoonsts delighted in accentuating
that feature. He wore moustache and
2 VandylSe beard.
Many of Dr. Rathenau's photographs
bore a likeness to the portrait of Premier
Lenine of Soviet Russia. Both had
slightly slanting eyes, but in real life the
| two men were quite dissimilar. Lenine
was the older and the shorter man.
Baron Romano Avezzano OF Italy. IN
| his capacity of secretary general of the
Genoa conference, had frequent interest
ing interviews with Herr Rathenau and
was deeply shocked when he learend OF
the event in Berlin. The Baron recalled
| that he was entrusted by the inviting
Powers at Genoa to deliver TO Dr. Rathe-
/ nau the famous note of protest against
the Russo-tserman treaty whereby Ger
many was excluded from further par
ticipation In the Genoa negotiations re-
specting Russia.
etr
| Foreign Minister remarked that he con-
sdered the condemnation Of Germany as
] excessive. but he was most dignihed and
said he would convolSe the German dele.
cation and give an answer as soon as
possible.
| Baron Avezzano also was intrusted
TO deliver to DIR. Rathenau the second
note of the Entente in answer to that
OF the German delegation to the presi-
dent OF the Genoa conference justifyipg
the conclusion by Germany of a separate
| treaty with Russia. On that occasion
the German delegate complained regard
| ing the difficult position in which his
delegation was placed in German public
opinion by being repeatedly called
liars" DIR. Rathenau said he could not
allow this TO pass unanswered that he
| could not remain under such a severe
accusation.
Germany never made any further re-
ply and let the incident rest. probably
saving the conference from the rupture
which could easily have come with a
further exchange of notes.
Baron Avezzano recalled that after
this incident DR.. Rathenau kepr himself
In the background and was no longer
prominent la the conference except on
the closing day of the session when he
delivered speech that was admired
even by his opponents. and more vigor-
ously appauded than any other address.
"Dr. Rathcnau," said Baron Avezzano,
reached a lofty height when he spoke
Of the economic laws which regulate
the relations between nations. He sue
ceeded in doing what had been strictly
prohibited--that is, in making an effica-
cious criticism of the situation imposed
upon Germany by the reparatlons re-
quirements contemplated In the Treaty
of Versailles"