Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-20
EVENTS OF A WEEK.

1 EVENTS OF A WEEK.
] The Genoa conference is over. The closing
| session occurred On Friday, earlier than had been
i anticipated a few days before. The close OF the
meeting was fastened by the shaping OF arrange
: rnents for the later Hague conference and the con-
I yieton that nothing more OF value could be accom-
! pIished at Genoa. To those Who hoped that the
4 Genoa conference was TO result in the development!
I OF plans ior the economic rehabilitation Of Europe
/ the conference has been a disappointment Lloyd
] George initiated the conference and sponsored it,
I and the results are far below his hopes and expecta-
Z tons. That he is disappointed goes without saying.
I II is natural that he should try to make out as good
1 a case for the conference as is possible, but even
! when allowance is made for this very natural desire
| ON his part, it seems that he is right in his assertion
that things really worth while have been accom-
/ plished-
Among the things Of value credited by Mr..
Lloyd George to the conference are the non-aggres-I
sion pact, the report of the finance, transport and
ing at The Hague. The non-aggression agreement
IS informal, but there is q general feeling that as
far as it goes it is substantial and useful. The re-
Aports Of the commissions may be accepted as mark
ing progress.
More important than what has actually been
"a done is undoubtedly the fact that the adjournment,
to meet again at The Hague, under somewhat diff
fercnt conditions, amounts really to a continuation
N OF the late conference. The effort which has been
begun is not abandoned, but is to be continued, and
when the next meeting is, held those participating
will have the advantage of the knowledge of what
thas developed at Genoa. With that knowledge they
should be in better position to avoid obstacles and
to choose paths leading to useful results.
There will be wide divergence OF opinion as to
the influence which Americas attitude has had on
the Genoa conference. It may safely be assumed
that had the United States been a party to the con-
ference the proceedings would have taken on differ
ent form. Had the United States been a member
of the conference her firm and unvarying ~insistencc
that before Russia could expect international recog-
milton and international credit she must set her own
house in order would undoubtedly have had a
marked effect on the deliberations. Just what that
effect would have been is not so clear. Out of the
conference and the communications passing to and
from It there have been established certain i'm
5portant facts. Among these are: That under no
circumstances will the United States recede from
81 its position that Russia must herself establish the
PROPER conditions for recognition and credit before
those can be given that in spite OF all protestations
TO the contrary, the soviet government still clings
tenaciously to the doctrines of communism; that
III Europe will not enter into relations with Russia on
anything similar to the conditions suggested in the
1.-The Hague conference will open with the atmo-
As sphere at least partially cleared, and with a better
understanding Of what may be accomplished.
During the week representatives of Germany
/. and Poland agreed on a treaty making provisions
carrying out the Upper Silesian award, and the
ginegotiation Of this treaty has been hailed as a settle
Il.nent Of pne Of the perplexing problems resulting
from the war. The treaty provides for acceptance
Ilh0 the boundary determined by the League council,
5I6and for the effective business administration Of the
most important mining district which the political
II Boundary divides.
a@ While efforts have been in progress to adjust
a91eseveral European controversies, representatives Of
HlIaEhile and Peru have met in Washington at the in.
II yaitation of President Harding to seek a solution Of