The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-04-20
BY EDWARD w. pIckARo


I ACHING the spirit that animated
- the Washington conference, that of
reaching an agreement. the European
economic conference which opened last
week In Genon may. nevertheless, man
age Ia evolve some COMPREHENSIVE
project that will meet the needs Of
the old world Premier Lloyd George.
who IN dominating the meeting be
lieves II viii Many other eminent
men and n great many European news
papers are skeptical Already II Is
evident that II any definite agreement
Of Wide scope Is reached Il must be
through the yielding Of France and
the smaller nations that are members
Of the French bloc"
Soviet Russia through It's spokes.
man Tchitrherin, though accepting
the civilized nation test" OF the
Cannes agreement In order To obtain
n seae IN the conference is still In
sistcnt and almost ohstreperous being
boistered by the support Of the Ger
mans and certain NJ rte neutral ma
tions and by the universally admitted
fact that Europe cannot be restored
economically until Russia IL again one
OF the family Of nations. AZ IN. very
outset Tchitcherin. after accepting the
Cannes conditions, precipitatei an an
gr, debate with the French by insist
Ing that II was necessary 10 discuss
disarmament LLOYD George soon
qui"ted the uproar 10y Saying
Gentlemen. We have agreed not 10
discuss disarmament, and therefor.
our French colleague In right, hut We
must not waste our time In argument.
We must get on. Nevertheless, In
my opinion, tn. conference will nat
uraily result IN disarmament"
Next DAY the Russians protested
She presence Of the japanese and the
Rumanians because Japan and Ru-
mania are "unlawfully occupying Rus
stan territories in siberia and hes
saruhia Niscount Ishii replied that
Japan would take part In the confer
euce in spite ~ the Russian obiec-
tions. and Bratiano. premier Of Ru
mania. asserted that Bessarabia,
which is mainly populated by his
countrymen. had been awarded to
Rumania by the allies. Premier
Facta Of Italy, who had been elected
permanent president Of the confer
ene, ruled that In any case the in
vttations were irrevocable, and the
Boishevik delegates Rugged them
selves with glee because the ruling
means that they cannot he ousted
even II they later repudiate the
Cannes conditions.
Organization Of the committees
brought more trouble. The first aud
chief one. 10 deal with Russian ~
fairs. is made mp Of Great Britain.
Frnnce. Italy. Germany, RUSSIA Bel
gium and Japan. and uf Poland. Ru
mania. Sweden and Switzerland elect
ed by the little powers rclitrh"".u
demnnded that Russia he given tNo
members ON this committee becuus"
Of her special position. hut there was
such strenuous objection that he sub.
sided Barthou for France and
Theunys for Belgium wanted Russia
and Germany excluded from this com
mluec. 20 which Lloyd George replied
that Ia that case the conference might
a. well be abandoned Immediately.
Russia, Il was stated In Genoa. was
ready 10 give all the financial guaran-
tees demanded In the program which
the experts of the allies prepared Inst
month IN London, hut would not ac-
cept the clause providing for mixed
tribunals Ia fix responsibility, consid-
erlng the latter an infringement Of
Russian sovereignty. The soviet dele
gation had an alternate plan pre-
parad.
7 LLOYD GEORGE has ready for
IL presentation TO the conference u
mutual guaranty pact. variation of
Article y Of the League of Nations
covenant. by which wars In Europe
would be prohibited for ten years.
lie thinks Tint II this were adopted,
with "A penalty clause that all other
nations should unite against any pow
- invading ar wantonly attacking
another the soviet Red army could
be disbanded. and the little entente
and eventually France could rciuce
the size OF their land forces France
aud Poland claim they must main
tain large armies To meet the threat
Of Russia against the Poles. though
Il Is generally understood the French
really have In mind action against
Germany In case the reparations are
not paid. The delegates from the lit
the entente, though not entirely salts
ied with the form Of this plan, II Is
said will support II on two conditions:
That their right under existing treaties