Arizona republican., 1922-03-08
MINUS AMERICA,
GENOA MEETING
IS FUTILE SAYS
GERMAN LEADER
IRepubIIean A. p. Leased WlrsJ

IRepubIIean A. p. Leased WIrs1
BERLIN, Mar. THE United
States, which decided the war and
shaped the peace of Versailles, alone
can save the Genoa conference from
becoming a futile attempt at solving
the problems of European reconstruc-
ton"
This opinion was expressed today
by DR.. Walter Rathenau, the minister
of foreign affairs, before the reichs-
tags budget committee. He was dis
cussing reparations and Germany's
foreign problems.
DIR. Rathenau warned the deputies
against undue optimism in expecting
relief from the deliberations at Genoa.
He told them the absence OF the
United States from the conference
table would severely restrict the use
fulness of the gathering. which at
best would be but another halting
place on the road to world peace and
economic reconstruction.
The foreign minister's reference to
American relief in Europe occupied a
conspicuous part of his speech, which
constituted the first positive utter
ance. since taking over the foreign
ministry, dealing specifically with
the problem of Americas relations to
European economies as viewed in Of
ficial German quarters.
In the course of his reference to
the Genoa meeting, DR.. Rathenau told
the budget committee that material
relief from reparations burdens would
be hardly forthcoming in a gathering
OF 10 various nations, most OF which
were directly or indirectly interested
In the Versailles treaty. He declared
that the supreme council and the
reparations commission would con-
tlnue to be the court of last appeal
on all reparations issues.
DIR. Rathenau, addressing the main
committee OF the reichstag, expressed
the hope that the nations, including
the United States, would reach an
among themselves un-
der which Germany, with the assist
ance of other states, would be able to
realize a large loan to satisfy her
creditors. He said the government
agreed that an effort must be made
at all costs TO show former enemies
that Germany was prepared to dis
charge her reparations liabilities to
the limits of her capacity.
Referring to the Genoa conference,
the foreign minister said.
Genoa will furnish an opportun-
ity for diagnosing the general causes
of the worlds ailments and for in
ducing the nations TO cola borate in
ways and means to heal
the maladies from which the entire
European continent is suffering.
Genoa will be the first link in chain
of conferences which will take place
this year and next"
The foreign minister expressed the
belief that the terms of the Versailles
treaty effectually prejudiced Ger
many's prospects for obtaining cred
its abroad.
Discussing Americas part in eco
nomic reconstruction, Or. Rathenau
said:
"It will depend largely on the at
titude Of the United States whether
the Genoa conference will constitute
a milestone along the road leading
to world peace. Through its entry
into the war the United States de-
cided the outcome; in Versailles it
determined the peace, and now by
throwing its political and economic
assets into the balance it is in a po-
sition to accomplish the salvaging of
the disordered world, thus decisively
the direction of political
and economic peace"
DIR. Rathenau expressed the hope
that in America the people would be
awake and strong in their determina-
tion that Europe shall not fall: that
the sources, the Oldest and strongest
OF civilization, shall not be shat
tered"
"That people who decided the war
and made the peace said DR. Rattle
nau. carry a responsibility for those
nations whose fate was settled
There is a. disinclination in America
to mix in the changing affairs of
Europe, but there are on the other
hand powerful material interests at
work.