New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-05-15
A Macedonian Appeal

'si44 A Macedonian Appeal
90 The French government has form
!, ally appealed to the United States,
!, as Lloyd George has repeatedly done
: in behalf of Great Britain, for its
participation in any conference or
gathering which may be held after
! the Genoa carcass is inferred.
, . The sincerity Of this Macedonian
cry no one will challenge. Eu-
rope never before has so greatly
;. needed the leadership Of the United
;, States as the unsupported friend of
} al peoples.
/. The United States should heed
Ii the appeal-but on terms. These
y terms were sketched by Secretary
= Hughes on March last when the
81 Genoa invitation was declined-but
in f declined in such fashion as to indi-
TO- cate that this country would gladly
7 have participated had they been
i met.
1, No American delegation went to
',c Genoa for two reasons, each set out
~ with adequate particularly.
!. First, the program Of the Genoa
conference as defined in the preced-
=, ing note prepared at Cannes, opened
-, wide the door. it seemed to our
81. Department of State, to the entry Of
! political questions in whose solution
We could not help.
Second, inasmuch as the princi-
{ pal business related to Russia, it
. was deemed fatal omission that
pa nothing was proposed which held
out hope of Russias economic re-
dc Mobilization.
b. How plainly Mr.. Hughes wrote
=. il attested by the following quota
I tons from his note:
= ut is impossible to escape the
conclusion that the proposed con-
ar ference is not primarily an economic
n conference, as questions seem to
- have been excluded from considera-
~ ton without the satisfactory determi-
vi nation of which the chief causes of
OF economic disturbance must continue
~ 10 operate, but is rather confer
al; 1euce Of political character in which
% the government of the United States
: could not helpfully participate.
This government views with
,I., the most eager and friendly interest
p seevery step taken toward the resto-
10 ration of economic conditions that
hi will permit Russia to regain her
81 e productive power, but these condi-
* (" tions, in the view of this govern
. !, ment, cannot be secured until ade-
uate action is taken on the part
bf those chiefly responsible for Rus
. ~ sia's present economic disorder"
!. , ~, To leave no doubt of his meaning.
: b, Mr.. Hughes further on in his note
: ! specifically reaffrnled this country s
{, declaration of March 81, 1921,
=, wherein it was said that there could
c be no trade with a vacuum and
: that so long as a system persisted
h. IN Russia which vetoed the estab-
hshment Of the essential bases of
:. production all consideration of eco
!, non1ic revival was futile. In other
). words, the American position. as off,
cially stated, is that Bolshevism
must get out or be put out-that un-
til it is elected it will not be posi-
= bic to achieve anything helpful.
=. Time and events have indicated
Mr.. Hughes. His discerning powers
1 are in the highest possible repute.
il Genoa became wranghng place of
national politicians, and nothing has
I. occurred to throw doubt on the
Il Hughes conviction that so long as
,,I the Bo!shevist system continues to
i smother Russian industry it, of
Z course, cannot wholesomely breathe.
Where should real economic con-
i fsrence be held? AS to the place, it
lyll be recalled that the naval
& Esciac conference, which met at
!. Washington, was a great success,
and that Mr.. Hughes has displayed
unmatched technique as a program
maker. And it will also be recalled
that President Harding has indi-
gated that he hoped that the Wash
fngton conference would be followed
by others held to consider other spe-
]. ciic world problems.
~ sos