Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-20
RmSsia and The IinmIIc

Y I
w European economic conferences to
improve the situation Of the invalid nation
Of Russia as long a. Russia itself remains
uhrcgcncrate. ii is next TO Impossible to see.
The men who have gathered at The Hague
represent about the same powers and the
same interests as did the men who gathered
al Genoa. They cre engaged in a discus
sion of conditions left of when the Genoa
conference deadlockcd and broke up with
out achieving one concrete result.
The United States was invited TO par,ici-
pate i'll both proceedings. This government
declined the first. because it was manifest
ly political in its bearing. and Mr. Harding
and Mr. Hughes still insist that America has
nothing To do with the purely political
affairs of the Continent OF Europe although
il has had great deal TO do recently with
the political affairs OF the remote Continent
Of Asia
In declining the second invitation the
state Department made il clear that he
looked upon The Hague conference as mere
ly Il continuance of that a, Genoa under u
different name; that the United States had
no objection to sitting in on economic
inquiry regarding the state Of affairs in
Russia but il was waste of time for this
or any other government to confer with
respect to the future Of Russia unless and
until Russia undcrgoes some radical
changes from within.
The reasoning OF the Hughes notes is
almost unanswerable. Russia continues in
Dowcr a Bolshcvist regime That regime
IS welded to communism as Il fundamental
tenet. Communism does moi invite conf
ncncc. Under il there are no personal or
property rights we know such rights in
America There is no security which any
banker would accept for a loan. and il is
lot conceivable that any government would
make IA loan to Russia under present condi-
lions.
In view OF all this and in view OF tho
refusal OF the Russians to modify the stand
Trey took in the now famous memorandum
of May .. il is difficult to see what may be
accomplished at The Hague. 1t is possible
OF course that in the end the confcrces
VIII abandon their own proceedings and ac-
cepi the American suggestion that an ex-
pert economic inquiry be made by com
mission into The affairs OF Russia
Ii this is done and if Russia welcomes
such an investigation. agreeing to co operate
with the representatives Of the associated
powers. something may be done that will
be useful for the future. y policy might
b" laid down that would give the outside
nations a chance to assist the Russians in
the process Of rcconstruction Certainly
the world would be given measure OF first
hand information as To the fundamental
facts about Russia which now is lacking
THAT the United States sees nothing 10 be
gained by The Hague conference as now
undertaken. is indicated by the fact that this
government has not even detailed an OBJ
server TO report upon the proceedings An
American ambassador was stationed AT
Genoa and he kepi his government informed
III detail as to all that trunspircd there
Also he provided Il contact between America
and The conference. There is not even an
American minister in the Dutch capital at
the present thine, and the state Department
- in no hurry whatever to send one there
II. ordcE that wc may be advised from day
10 day regarding the business in hand