Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-12
A CANDID RUSSIAN REEVES THE
ULTIMATE STANDARD OF PEACE
Mr.. chieherin's Disarmament Program
10. However, Launched In a sltua.
ton erlstlins With the Most
Formidable Difficulties

terminoloey is difficult and seems to have
been employed with unnecessarily bad tenn
per. Not every inhabitant Of this troubled
planet is precisely sure whether he is a
bourgeois or a proletarian. The pedantry
of sovietism has not been for its good.
Perhaps Mr.. Chicherin, who struck first
fire at the Genoa conference. has realized
that the dreary jargon is played out. In
any event, his remuneration of its doubtful
services is conspicuous in his exceedingly
Straightforward disarmament plea, which,
so far as its essential significance is con-
cerned. might have sprung from the lips of
Woodrow Wilson or Charles Evans Hughes
or Anatole France or Romaine ROLAND or
Ma1imilian Harden or Lord Robert Cecil
or ". G.. Wells or Bernard Shaw or Sidney
Webb or Norman Angel or from the sim
plest peasant or laborer or the most revered
sages Of antiquity. The meaning is funda-
mental and transparently appealing.
To the intense disgust of Louis Barthou.
head of the French delegation. the Russian
legate began to Crumple up those precious
agenda, rules to circumscribe the scope "t
the conference which, he apologetically cN-
plained. he had not carefully perused. And
despite Mr.. Lloyd Georges facile maneuver.
ing. which temporarily averted what diplo-
matists and correspondents professionally
call a "crisis,' Mr.. Chicherin remains un-
repentant.
A new statement issued by him yesterday
stresses the acute need of disarmament in
any attempt to reconstruct Europe, and de-
clares that amelioration of present condi-
tions is impossible while the 'imperalist
countries continue vast expenditures for
the maintenance of large armies.
This is brave and candid speaking One
does not have to wade through ''Das Kapi-
tal'' TO grasp the idea. The thought, how
ever is nor new The ex Kaiser probably
will confess that he has entertained II. II
was clearly formulated in the League Of
Nations Covenant General Bliss opened
the Peace Conference Forum in this city
year and half ago with an even more
sweeping statement Of the principle. Mr.
Hughes forcibly dwelt upon its naval phases
at the Washington pacley. and triumphantly
achieved an approximation of limited ideal
in practical terms.
The general principles of accord had.
however. been reached before the American
Conference assembled. At Genoa the situa-
ton Is reversed. The national s"nsibilities
Of several Of the most important countries
involved are extremely delicate. The task
Of segregating black and white sheep is not
easy.
II II. for instance. permissible 70 wonder
whether Mr. Chicherin is con"ealing any
uteror purposes On the surface. sub
stanrial gain has been made since the Red
army. strong in numbers and drilled 10
Prussian precision. has supposedly been the
pride of Leon Trotzky. II Mr.. Chi"herin
is bargaining on the subject of its disr"p.
,ion. what is the price:
Is it n merely similar art Of militari>tic
retrenchment on the part of France or will
the question of Russian foreign Indebtedness
be involved or European concert OF ap-
proval of bolshevst ambitions in the equivo-
cally independent border states OF l.atvia.
Esthonia. I.ithuania and the Ukraine: Is
the oil in Georgia and Azerbaijan. upon
which British eyes are longingIy cast an
asset for barter:
IL Mr.. Chicheru's altruism may be ques-
toned, it is equally legitimate 10 examine
the alleged chauvinism of France Evil
dence that small but powerful group OF
ingoes are exploiting the military ''protcc-
t!on'' idea to their own advantage is not
wanting. bur the persistent opposition of
many classes in the republic 10 immediate
disarmament probably lies deeper than this.
IL is no slight labor for Engishmen. freed
from the German fleet menace and intensely
eager for general trade revival TO relieve
home unemployment. or for Americans. in
their security and wealth, TO comprehend
all the shadngs of the French view. C"u-
pied with resentment over the German
depredations and the anxiety for prompt
payment Of reparations TO offset some of the
hideous ruin there IS the keen historical
memory of four devastating foreign !nva-
slons within n single century, and an equal
consciousness of the isolation Of France
since the armist!ce.
The League Of Nations. weakened by
blows unforeseen at the time OF its creation,
has failed 70 fulfill its constructive and pro-
tective purposes originally designed. Its
vital principle Is identical with that pro-
posed to Mr.. Chicherin. It is practical ex-
ecution that is delayed.
The three Power protective treaty be-
tween France, Great Britain and the United
States proved an illusive dream. The
French behold a reCalctrant neighbor too
close for comfort, a neighbor not averse 10
employing any agency 10 make the Yer
sallles Treaty impotent.
Add TO these complexities the materiaistic
interests of all the great nations of the
earth in Russian economic. agricultural and
industrial recovery--an alignment including
the United States. which is 'watching' at
Genoa-and the difficulty Of proceeding with
Mr.. Chicherins remedy--the remedy. in
deed, of sensible persons the world over
may to some extent be appreciated.
Nevertheless, the Russian delegate, In
reiterating an inextinguishable idea, has
done civilization a good turn. He has re-
yived a standard Of idealism the struggle for
which must be sustained, despite rebufs and