Evening star., 1922-01-11
RUSSIA NOW LOOMS
Jas W0RLDP PROBLEM
Washington and Cannes Par.
Ieys Both Seek to Avert
Great Menace.
ANOTHER BOMB EXPECTED
Secretary Hughes Likely to De-
mand Showdown" to Insure
Peace in Asia.
ANOTHER BOMB EXPECTED
BY WILLIAM #. ELLIS.

HAA1Ss
While Americas international con-
ference is moving westward to the
east. Europe's international confer
ence is moving eastward to the west
A junction will probably be effected
In Russia. Coincident with the stiff
fleming of the Washington purpose
concerning Siberia is the agreement
at Cannes to invite the Moscow gov
ernment to Genoa. In other words,
it has been found that no world con-
ference can be held without reckon
ing with impoverished, chaotic. mis-
led and tragic Russia, the one coun-
try that stretches from the Pacific to
the estuaries of the Atlantic.
AS Europe's parley moves further
east along the Mediterranean, to the
city that gave birth to the man who
gave America to the world, 1t be-
comes clear that the strands Of in
extricably interviewer. Europe sees
Russia as both a present and as q
potential menace, from military as
well as an economic standpoint. The
red army is as real fact about Rus
sia as the famine.
allies as head of the Turkish govern
ment. is at present busy as Moscow s
agent in conforming the new Turk
ish program to the soviet desires. He
is challenging the sway of Mustapha
kemal Pasha at Angorl. and his pur-
poses are distinctly anti-European.
Russ-Turk Menace.
The three great European nations
have been at loceerheads over their
respective courses in Turkey. The
bitterness has been intense; the feel
ing that has been displayed in Wash
ington is largely an echo of the state
of mind engendered in the near east.
Now they are composing. at least
outwardly, their differences. in the
face of the thing t;nvcr Pasha stands
for-an alliance Of nationalist Turkey
With soviet Russia that will still fur
ther menace the stability of Europe's
position in the oriental world.
Already. thanks to the machina
tions of Moscow and such bitter and
skillful agents as Enver, the near
east and the middle east are afire
with hostility to the European
powers. 1t is no exaggeration to say
that western civilization itself is
threatened in that part of the world II
is the presence of this common danger,
as we'll as the critical economic situa-
ton. that has drawn the European
nations together in a new unity at
Cannes. with plans for still closer
understanding and organization at
Genoa
Because Washington delegates think
in world terms, they, too. have seen
the menace to civilization in a failure
to remedy present conditions in Rus
sia-and Russia is Russia, alike along
the Black sea, the White sea or the
Bering sea. Already Trotsky has
threatened to loose his red army
against Japan. unless she evacuates
Cthorio That 10 idle for he
moment. but it is as sure as anything
can be in this uncertain world that
unless the Washington conferece finds
some settlement of the acute Siberian
question. there will ultimately be an
other Russo-Japanese war; and 1t is
that this meeting is being held. AS
one simple. practical consideration, ii
is not good policy to let Lenin go to
Genoa with the Siberian grievances
to air as one form of attack upon the
conduct of the nations.
Russfa's Latent Power.
Back of all these concrete details OF
present policies as related to Russia
lie the big and permanent human
factors. Russia is the most fecund
nation on earth. Its outlet for in
Siberia. All Russians look upon
Siberia as their "out west" and they
will never be content to see it pos
sessed or ruled by foreigh powers
They have long patience. but some
day Russia is certain to recover from
the fever of bolshevism. and then the
western powers, among whom Japan
has proved her right to be classified
should find themselves in position
of real friendship with the Russian
people, with no scores to be settled
and no grudges to be paid off.
More important. even. than the sat
isfaction of the extraordinarily
country concerning the conference is
the assurance to the peoples of Rus
sia. China and all the orient that this
meeting has marked definite turn
ing point in the nature of their re-
lations with the western world. They
need to be convinced that henceforth
they are not to be exploited by the
rights are to be respected and pro-
tected. This is the one supreme
achievement possible to the confer
ence. 1t will do more to make peace
sure than any limitation of arma-
ment. A tranquil Russia and a tran
1uil China are the best insurance
against war in the east.
Peace Mt Any Price.
For the sake of securing that prize,
II no" Seems reasonably certain, the
men who are directing the Washing
ton conference and the Cannes con-
ference are willing to throw over
board deal of red tape and dip
lomatic punctiliousness and sensi-
tiveness, and even: if need be, to
ruff1e the feelings of any refractory
delegation. This is no hour, it is
felt. to pay undue heed to any one
nations feelings The considerations
at stake are too serious for that.
Both Of the international conferences
now stand ready to take unpleasant
measures to end the nightmare of
Russia throughout all her far-fiung
borders.
Such are some of the considera-
gestion,. now being whispered about
In quarters that are not wholly ire
Sponsible, that we may expect an
other exhibition of "bombshell di-
plomacy" from Mr.. Hughes before the
conference adjourns. BY so much
than any limitation Of armament, to
that degree would a radical and
dramatic action looking to q swift,
comprehensive ending Of irritations
maintained by the powers in Siberia
and China be justified.
done. it will not be an American
surprise but concerted action by
all or most of the powers repre-
sented. High quarters in Washing
ton have persistently declared that
there are conference achievements
ahead which will make what has
already been done appear insignia
can't. The prospect seems almost too
roseate to be real, but, for that mat
ter. who, three months ago, would
have dared predict that France and
Britain would be forming a defensive
alliance, or that Russia and Germany
would be invited into an interna-
tional conference by the entente, or
that Chairman Hughes would have
lutfonary program for scrappine CAP.
ital ships? Prophets who profess to
know whereof they speak-the only
kind worth listening to-r3ref1ict that