Great Falls tribune., 1922-03-12
THE GENOA CONFERENCE

THE GENOA CONFERENCE
MOT interested" is practically
: - the reply Of the United States
to the invitation extended by Italy
on behalf Of the nations Of the
world to meet in conference owe,
economic conditions in the world
AS an additional reason for refus-
ing to confer on this subject n
4 Genoa, our secretary Of state says
that he does not like some Of the
company invited, and refuses to
meet any representatives from boil
sheyik Russia. not officially recog-
nizing that there is any such gov
ernment, and not wishing to be in
troduced. Uncle Sam will there
fore stay away from the meeting,
at least until European nations be-
have themselves better, and 50 be-
come worthy to associate with him,
or words to that effect.
On the side at Washington, we
are informed by inspired" news
paper dispatches, the administra-
tion feels that If we were repre-
sented at this conference, some or
all Of the hard up nations would
want to borrow money Of US, and
we have already lent all the money
we care to abroad. They are eager
to borrow but not eager to pay
back, either principal or interest.
Moreover, many of these would be
borrowers are spending money Law
ishly on the maintenance Of big
armies for the purpose Of threaten
ing their neighbors. To the Wash
ington viewpoint, they are some
thing like the debtor who maintains
an expensive automobile and skill
ed driver, and has cash to pay for
gas and driver, but pleads for more
groceries on tick, and longer time
to pay past due bills for other bills
of groceries consumed years ago.
The intimation contained in these
inspired dispatches from Washing
ton is that as long as these Euro
pean nations keep up their big war
expenses, Uncle Sam Is not willing
to even talk with them about eco
nomic reconstruction.
There will be some sympathy
with this idea and approval Of it
among the voters Of the United
States. But we think it would have
been better If we had sent repre-
sentatives to the Genoa meeting and
said these things to them, face to
face. To decline to attend meet
ing called for the purpose OF. re-
storing sound financial and eco
nomic conditions to Europe appears
to US rude and churlish. 1t is time
enough to decline to lend when
someone seeks to borrow from US.
We have a common interest with
with Europe in tho establishment
of sound financial and economic
conditions. We agree entirely with
Washington that such conditions
cannot be restored in any nation
that spends enormous sums In keep
ing a standing army and then fills
the gap between its revenue collec-
tions and its governmental expend-
itures by issuing millions Of paper
promises to pay gold In the future
that can never be redeemed. in all
probability. We agree with the
that help given such
a nation is merely wasted money.
But, we could say that at a confer
ence where we were asked to help
such a nation. better than we can
now when we are not asked for
such help and decline to even dis
cuss the subject'at all.
The principal nations that are
spending vast sums on military
preparations, while not paying for
mer promises to pay, are France,
Italy, Poland, Russia, Greece, Rou-
mania, Jugo Slovakia and some
other Balkan states. The biggest
army of all, is the Russian red
army, which numbers million and
a half, recruited very largely from
hungry people who know that the
army will starve last Of all, and
will get food before any other class,
because they can and will take it
by force if necessary as long as any
food is left. France has the next
biggest army and Poland has prob .
ably the largest army in Europe in
to the population. Not ;
one Of the three, are paying their