The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-04-23

European Observers even in the
old neutral countries are not only
pessimistic. but well-nigh hopeless.
because they see with utmost
clarity the steady degeneration in
the whole European structure. The
situation. economically speaking.
is not hopeless OF itself. The
hopelessness lies in the fact that
political differences between ma
tions and between parties within
nations monopolize every single
effort made. to produce useful re-
construction,
Lloyd George Faces Election.
Looking over the progress of
events for the first week of the
Genoa conference II will be seen
that while many things have been
talked about there has been no
real or useful discussion of any
thing, large or small, which might
contribute to starting more fac
tories. reducing expenditures OF
limiting rivalries. Any questions
which have been considered are
clearly political questions, al
though each of them are discussed
as IL II were in reality economic.
Lloyd George must fail or triumph
In the Inevitable general election,
soon to come, precisely as he is
able to give the impression on
paper of having brought back Eu-
ropean cooperation. Poincare
must fail or continue, precisely as
ne succeeds or fails to give the
impression that France has escaped
the control Of Lloyd George, and
made progress toward the reaIiza-
ton of her claims against Ger
many. =
The whole newspaper battle CEN
ters around Russia. but no one
knows better than the politicians
that years and years must mass
petore Russia can be restored to
production and become a market
Tor British manufacturers. The
Genoa conference, IL il ends with
the recognition Of Russia, will NOT
provide work for a single one of
tho l'7So.ooo OF unemployed Britons
now supported by government
doles. 1t will not provide ona
single franc more to be maid nv
germany TO France on the repsra-
'Iohs account. 1t will not any
"here help in balancing of budgets
UT III the reduction of armaments.
Schemes vaIueIes..
Lloyd Georges shining scbem,
TOT mutual guarantees has no real
IN world where everyone
S o"s that 1t is now a question of
r Sonn DAY to day whether or not
ch armies will be set in motion
asaIhst Germany. No French gov
hneht for single moment would
resign the right to use the sinpIs
German Preparations. Not even tbs
BRITISH treaty of guarantees could
bargain. o 'u'h
Americans are often very much
confused by comparisons between
the Genoa conference and the wash
Ington conferece. but there are alb
soIutely no points of resemblance.
Az washington three great powers
were agreed In advance to co-oper-
ate upon some program limiting
naval constructions and reducInp
naval expenditures. Four great Pa
cine powers were agreed in advanc.
upon the necessity and the wisdom
OF adopting some policy Of mutual
amity as to the Western ocean
therefore the Washington confer
ence resolved itself into the search
for the machinery and the Formula
10 accomplish that end But Won
mad In advance OF the wa,hInrton
conference substantial agreement
IN the public opinion of Great Britain
Japan and the United States, where
as IN the case Of the French with
Ihe submarines you did not have
tnat agreement and therefore no
agreement was possible.
now in the case Of the Genoa con-
Ieiehce' there Is no one single
question OF all the great and pres
ent problems Of Europe upon which
there can be agreement. as between
the three great powers. There is
a French view Of Germany and a
BRUSH view and then there is also
German view. You have not. as
In the case Of Washington, to deal
with nations which either never
nave fought each other or have had
unbroken peace for over a century.
You are dealing with countries re-
Gently at war. still retaining much
OF the wartime passion with MANY OF
tne wounds unhealed. Underneath
tnese things you have rivalries which
go back in the night of time. II is a
transparent fact that in Europe AT
ieast half the safes on he continent
look forward eagerly to a transform
alton of their frontiers by war pre-
clsely as soon as the resources are
available.
All this is unmistakabIe beneath
the surface of the Genoa confer
ence. 1t was unmistakable in all
the discussions of statesmen in the
period which preceded the meet
ing of the conference. To under
stand the real futility of what is
going on at Genoa you have only to
scratch the surface of European
conditions. Not one single thing
has yet been discussed at Genoa in
any practical manner which could
relieve these real European prob
lens. There has not been one evil
dence that a new spirit Of co-opera-
ton or confidence has been estab-
lished.
In a word. while everybody in
Europe recognizes with accuracy
what Is really taking place, under
meath the surface the Genoa con-
ference has not yet revealed the
slightest power. capacity. or readi-
ness 10 deal with any OF these
fields.