The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-24
rHE LEAGUE coNFERENcE.

to be held at The Hague instead of al
Genoa can have no effect on the
American attitude toward it. 1t has
been known from the first that Eu-
rope wanted to have this country as
a participant at the parleys. and the
] recess that has been agreed to for the
purpose of asking the United States
to join does not add anything to What
was already known by the admins
tration.
It has been stated that this coun-
try can have nothing to do with Rus
STA until the Russians can provide
some guarantees for productivity in
the country and for the rights Of
property there. That proposition will
not be altered by the removal of the
Genoa conference to The Hague and
extending a formal invitation to the
United States. The American note
says. in part;
This government is most DESTROYS
to aid in every practicable way the
consideration of the economic ext
gencies in Russia and wishes again to
express the deep friendship felt by the
people of the United States for the
people of Russia and their keen in
terest in all proceedings looking to
the recovery of their economic life
and the return of the prosperity to
which their capacities and resources
entitle them.
This government, however, is IN
able to conclude that it can helpfulIy
participate in the meeting at The
Hague, as this would appear to be a
continuance under a different nomen-
clature OF the Genoa conference and
destined to encounter the same diff
culties If the attitude in the Russian
memorandum of May II remains I'M
changed"
The world needs Russia, but Russia
needs the world, even more Ex-
tremely rich in natural resources, and
with wonderful agricultural possibili-
ties. the development of Russia, even
before the revolution, and with its
trade open to the world, was handi-
capped thru lack of transportation
Under the dictatorship of the. prole-
tariat." there has been a complete
breakdown of all means of transpor-
tation. So far as transportation is
concerned, Russia is today in proba-
bly, an even worse situation than
China, and in this age arteries of
transportation are indispensable to
the life of nation.
Russia in the last four years has
cast off all appearance of those obIi-
cations which one government and
one people must assume and observe
toward other governments ard other
peoples if civilized life is to endure.
If Russia wishes the assistance of the
other countries of the world, incIud-
ing our own, in financial, a COM
mercial and moral sense, her gov
eminent must realize that there are
obligations which it must assume and
which it must continue to observe.
When Russia assumes these obliga-
tions and gives guarantees that they
will be observed, our help probably
will be forthcoming without reserve;
but until that time comes, we cannot
extend to her government or to her
people that material aid so urgently
needed if Russia is again to become Il
factor in the economic progress of the
world.
The existing fact is that Russia has
nothing to sell which other nations
wish to buy. and Russia has no money
with which to purchase goods that
are for sale in other countries. The
title to property in Russia is uncer-
tain, in view of the Soviet policy of
coRfiscation. Because of the suspen-
sion of production there is practically
nothing in Russia for sale. Because
the Soviet government plundered the
banks and seized all the capital of
men who had saved, and has printed
paper rubles to such an amount that
the currency is now of little value.
there is no money IN Russia with
which to buy. Neither has Russia
any credit. A nation that has once
adopted the policy OF reputation and
confiscation can never again enjoy
the confidence Of another nation or
the men of other nations until the
policy of conf.scation and Reputation
has been reversed.
Whenever profit, or advantage
which is equivalent to profit. disap-
pears from human effort, business or
trade will disappear. Business will
die. Human effort will cease. That
is what has happened in Russia. Rus
STA wants to trade with the world, but
the soviet government has stranEIed |
Russian production, broken down
Russian transportation. made Russian
currency worthless, and destroyed
Russian credit As to loan to Russia. |
what civilized state with constitution |
founded on respect for private prop
erty and individual rights can come |
to any workable agreement with the |
soviet government, which believes in |
and practices confiscation of private /