Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-19
BED ROCK At GENOA

l1NHE injection OF side treaties In Inter.
i national conference is no novelty.
One Of the most hagrant instances Of diplo-
matte disingenuousness on record was Lord
Salisbury's Announcement at the opening
Of the Berlin Congress Of 1873 that Great
Britain was entirely free from special en-.
tanslements with regard to the general sub.
ject Of the meeting. The following day,
June IA, Russo British pact concerning
Turkey in Asia was printed in the English
newspapers and similar publicity was given
to the Cyprus convention according the
United Kingdom rights over that Levantine
island which have since developed into COM
plete colonial control.
But the Congress Of Berlin, called
ostensibly to evolve order out Of the con.
fusion resulting from the Russo. Turkish
War. is familiarly regarded as the sub.
limation Of the old cynical diplomacy.
theoretically I'VE have changed all that"
Particularly In Bolshcvist Russia have dc.
nunciations Of the ancient traditions of
bourgeois chancelleries been extreme.
There is touch of irony. therefore, in the
rapidity with which doctrinaire principles
have been unloaded in the Russo German
pact negotiated ut Rapallo. within easy
committing distance of Genoa.
The principal Allied and Associated
Powcrs''-to use title which has somewhat
staled-have debarred Germany from their
parleys concerning Russia. This Is drastic
treatment, but it is what would perhaps have
been invoked at Berlin in 1873 had any
nation save powerful England been involved
in separate contracts.
Despite all the harsh words that have
been flung at it. the old realist diplomacy
betrays evidences Of inextinguishable vi.
tality. With Russia and Germany as re-
vivalsts. the Genoa conference is under.
going q process Of disillusionment. There
are potential advantages in this contact
with reality, even though the awakening is
rude and the situation surcharged with
perilous possibilities.
Immediate material interests have taken
the place Of Aorid pretensions. II the ses.
sions can Be held together England will be
unable to mask her trade hunger with senti.
mental protestations, Russia can no longer
disguise nationalist ambitions with windy
Communist formulas, nor can France, as
represented by her present Government,
cloak with nervous fallacies her desire for
hegemony in Continental Europe.
Germany, too, is stripped Of pretenses.
Her perfectly obvious program is priority
Of game privileges in the Russian preserve
and mitigation Of reparation terms.
The nakedness Of the whole scene Is un.
questionably ugly, but since all these mo.
tives exist disclosure is certainly preferable
to a futile course of deception. A pri.
mary cause Of the inability of Europe to
rearrange its household has been the pursuit
Of illusions. Russia, Germany and the vic.
torious Allies have alike been loath to sur.
render their fancies.
The Rapallo Treaty means a descent to
earth. The footing there may be uncom.
Portable, but it Is there alone that new
foundations Of civilization can be laid.
Angelic nations are as rare as beatifc
individuals. Self interest has been ruth
lessly uncovered at Genoa. The problem Of
accommodation is exceedingly trying, but
If the first shock can be dissipated there is
at least a hope Of progress in facing things