The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-12

the limits OF any other country, the
Englishman still looks to the trou-
bled continent of Europe and sees
bad economic conditions. unstable
rates of exchange. unsound po-
litical conditions all combining to
close the; European countries to
British production. He asks his
statesmen with ever increasing in
tensity to do something to the con-
tinent Of Europe, to improve living
and working conditions In the Brit
ish Islands.
1t seems clear now that Lloyd
Georges first enthusiasm for the
Italian gathering arose out OF de-
sire for a quick general election in
Great Britain. That moment has
now passed which promised a favor
able outcome. but no one believes
that a general election can long be
postponed. Almost every one agrees
that the coalition government will
suffer great losses, mainly labor,
usess the Genoa conference meets
with some success
Having looked at the situation,
there arises the question of what
Is the relation of the United States
TO the proposed Genoa conference?
SANSAA Nhol IL tue conference -
likely to prove a real, organized.
amicable gathering. which would
settle as well as discuss the prob
lens of trade and commerce, the
United states could not afford TO be
absent. In a word II Genoa were
world AFFAIR. the United States as
a great world power. / mean fnan-
cially and economically, not mill
tarily' could not risk staying away.
Not World GatheriHE.
The facts. however. are that
Genoa doesn't promise to be ANY,
thing of the sort. II it succeeds
II can only clear the way for a real
economic conference some time in a
not too remote future, either in the
summer, or in the autumn. But
there cannot be a world conference
until there has been a restored Eu-
rope. some kind Of neighborhood
association, or so long as Great
Britain and France are at odds,
Germany Is outside the pale and
Russia IL a tragedy rather than a
country, it Is plain nothing real
can be done, though Europeans sit
at a table together. Until the Ques-
ton Is answered, and none can pre-
tend 10 answer Il at this moment
or before Genoa actually takes
place, there L. no obvious reason
why the United States should, be
present, no obvious interest the
United States can serye by coming.
The best informed men 7 meet in
England are almost unanimous in
agreeing that the wisest policy for
:he United States is to wait until
the results of Genoa are estab-
lished before America takes a def-
mite policy in the matter of a Eu-
ropean association. These men sp-
preciate both that there is a grow
ing need which originates in the
United States to play a part in the
purely business questions of -Eu-
rope. but also a great danger il
America prematurely returns to the
continent. II. for example, she
should attend a Genoa conference
which did not succeed, then the
hands on the clock might be turned
back and the American arrival post
poned indefinitely. There is a pro-
found feeling I think in England
that Anglo-French relations, which
have been very bad for three years,
cannot continue in the same evil
way without leading to mutual
ruin. 1t is not exaggerating to say
that Great Britain and France each
came to the Washington conference
with the conviction that IL could
enlist the United States against the
other. This was the underlying
conception of British and French
diplomacy alike.
Washington Mistakes Recognised.
One can see in London now the
appreciation of the fact that while
France lost and Britain won the
Washington match. nevertheless the
quarrel between the two nations,
far from enlisting American sym
pathy. injured Europe in American
eyes. 1 am told by those who
should know that British and
French statesmanship alike has
recognized since the Washington
the policy of wisdom il
would have been to have gone to
the American Capital agreed. and
the policy of freedom today that
lies in association. not in continued
rivalry and paralyzing hostility. It
is true that there is a great deal of
anti-French feeling in this coun-
try and presume a similar amount
of anti British feeling in France.
What IL significant to me, however,
Is the statement frequently made in
the last few weeks that there has
been a fuller. recognition in Lon
don Of the fact that France actual
ly has the veto power over British
reconstruction and similar recog-
milton In France that without Brit
ish cooperation nothing is posi-
BILE In Europe or out of II. Poin-
care seems to have made a good
rather than a bad impression in
England. He has not proved the
extremist and fre-eater he was de-
scribed to be. British-F French re-
lations at least momentarily seem
In a sounder basis than at any mo-
ment since the conference of Paris
In 1919. 1t Is plain that II this
continues the greatest
single danger to the success Of Ge-
noa will be eliminated. 1t Is equal
ly true that IL England and France
20 to Genoa separated as they were
separated at Washington Genoa
will be complete and dismal fail
ure.
Little Entente Claims Attention.
In the meantime Americans mus,
turn their attention a little at least
to the influence which will be ex-
ercised at Genoa by the Little En-