The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-28
France FORCED
TO'BON TO'PACT
OFTWOENEM|ES
England Said to Be Anxious to
Get In on Ground Floor
With Germany.
n HARRY n. RIcKEY

GENOA, April 27-HayIng sur
yiyed half dozen crises in two
short weeks, Lloyd Georges al
leged economic conference for res
toration OF peace and Industry In
Europe still lives. But that is
about the best that can be said Of
II.
The net result to date is treaty
between, Germany and Russia.
under protest and In open defiance
Of the allies.
Admittedly this treaty draws
Germany and Russia closer toge-
Their not only commercially but
also politically. Potentially II is
threat to Western Europe that
225,000.000 Germans and Slavs
are out toe dominate the continent.
Assuming a generation OF co.
operation between the. Germans
and Russians, with the formers
genius for organization and tho
latter's Iflan-power and natural
wealth, Western Europe will face
at least 900, 900, 900 organized and
aggressive people.
France has visualized this from
the first and ever since tho treaty
was sprung has been making
heroic efforts to circumVent It,
threatening several times to leave
Genoa and break up the confer
ehce.
France Near Isolation
But France has been unable to
change the course OF events for
the simple reason that the rest OF
Europe Is fed up thoroughly on
the French policy.
France is nearer to isolation
today than at any time since the
war, Even England is showing
less and less sympathy and q
marked disincllnation TO sacrifice,
Tor Frances sake, her chance to
set in with Germany on Nussla's
ground floor"
Bngland's growing impatience
with France eliminated when
Lloyd George said significantly
that unless attempts to break up
the conference were stopped he
would make a statement to the
world putting the blame where II
belonged"
Abreak with the British is the
one thing the French cannot afford
IL they hops to Keep their position
as q first class power and collect
reparauons from Germany. So
they have submitted to the newt
able and consented not to press
their demand that the German
Russian treaty be abrogatcd.
This was a bitter pill for tho
French, and they make no secret
Of 1t.
Cooperation Necessary
AT the same time everybody in
Europe, excepting possibly the
French, realizes that permanent
peace and restoration Of normal
industrial and financial life Is
impossible without the co-cGera-
ton of the Germans ard Russians.
Together they comprise moro
than half the population OF tho
continent, and'a much greater pro-
portion OF organizt.g genius, in
dustrial energy and natural
wealth.
While the arrogant position
the yhave taken hero has amazed
and shocked Lloyd George as
much as It has anyone else, It has
demonstrated tho necessity OF
keeplng.the conference together to
work out an all-European compact
Including a non-aggression agree
ment.
Otherwise the net result OF
tsGenoa's conference would be in.
creased militarlsm and financial
chaos growing out of fear of tn.
German-Russtau menace,
The Germans and Russians ara
perfectly aware !hCt thay nave ION
Diplomatic circles around the
allies and have them In corner.
a They are now openly playing
the game together. Gre day last
week Tchitcherln visited Wirtb
land Rathenau three times at the
e $500 : -s---------------------