Evening star., 1922-05-15
Europe Hopes America Will Join
In Ne,u Parley Called at Hague

IN a m1lder form. The Russian reply
all but killed the meeting, but skillful
George has kept the spark alive. ..
Today the first subcommittee will
dispatch a note to Russia. France
and Belgium will not sign the note.
but II it should be accepted by the
Russians they will adhere to its con-
selves the affront of q more than pos
sible Russian refusal. The note will
combat the Russian memorandum in
lively terms. pointing the finger OF
scorn at the proposal to discuss
finance with men who have brought
their own country to bankruptcy and
misery. Then 1t will suggest the for
nation OF a committee Of experts to
meet the Russians at The Hague and
discuss the questions of debts. pri-
vate property and damages and cred
Its on which no agreement here is
possible
Experts to Counsel.
Each country represented at Genoa
will send delegates. These will elect
a committee. called a panel, Of nine,
eleven or thirteen members who will
speak in the name of all countries.
The experts will take counsel among
themselves from June Is to June 26,
when they will meet the Russians,
who in the meantime will form a par
allel committee. Thus virtually a
single committee will negotiate, while
the French and Belgians will be
spared further contact with the Rus
SLAMS.
Meanwhile all TIE participating gov
ernments VIII take pledge not to
MAKE separate agreements with the
soViets concerning the three mooted
questions nor aid or guarantee their
nationals in any concessions or pri-
vate arrangements which they may
reach The committee must reach an
agreement or disband in three months.
Most important of all, an invitation
TO the United States has been sent.
Thus the Genoa conference may be
reincarnated at The Hague. The real
Advantages of the project 20 to
France and the United States The
advantage to France is that the ne
gotiations will be intrusted to ex-
perts whose work can be disavowed
chief effect here has been to keep
Louis Barthou from making engage
ments unacceptable to Paris. The
French are determined never again,
as here at Genoa. to be forced to
withdraw proposals which their rep
AOSSASoSiNCo Aou dCCtpleO.
Triumph for America.
The United States also triumphs be-
cause its chief interest is to prevent
the European governments from en-
tering into separate agreements with
Russia unfavorable to American in
terests. Tho French have said that
the proposal to take a pledge against
separate agreements came from an
American source. This statement,
the writer believes. is true and hence
Washington will have scored a VIC
tory.
The question Of de Jure recognition
Of Russian frontiers and a guaranty
pact are postponed until after The
Hague conference, but in the mean
time the powers and Russia will be
asked to sign a non-aggression, no
propaganda truce. Here Mr.. Lloyd
George scores. The Germans will not
be asked to attend. A German dele
gate told the correspondent today
that Germany could not risk any cap
ital or large credits In Russia with
out the other powers. but would still
consider the conference satisfactory,
because 1t did away with the danger
Of being asked to pay war indem-
nifty to Russia.
But all this Is problematical. The
note may be refused by Russia. The
bolsheviki may refuse to discuss, q
truce on the existing frontiers before
reaching an agreement with Rumania
over Bessarabia and Japan over the
Siberian occupation. Such was the
spondent had today with NJ. Rakovsky.
Or the bolsheviki may refuse to dis
cuss financial matters farther If, in
the meantime, they are prevented
from making those separate agree
ments which constitute their abiding
hope.
q. 8. Question Urgent.
supposing, however. that they ac-
cept the proposal, the question of the
United States becomes urgent.
The Genoa conference has accom-
plished little. but it certainly has not
revealed the European situation az
helpless. Really the situation has
bettered. June Is is only d month
away. and in the meantime il the
lied the reparations question may be
well on the road to a settlement, with
incalculable benefit to all. .Premiers
Poincare, Lloyd George and Benes
may by that time no longer be in
power.
The British have no faith in Poin-
care, nor the French in Lloyd George,
and possibly their temporary eclipse
would clear the air to a better UNDER
standing The fall Of NJ Benes might
also aid, for the Czechoslovak
premier's skepticfsm has done much
to still the enthusiasm. The Amerf-
can government has lost nothing
save educational opportunities by be-
ing absent from Genoa. At The
Hague 1t would be represented by a
mere expert, as on the reparattons