The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-17
u. S. STILL
IS OPEN TO
HAGUE BID
Anxious to Cooperate if
Powers Will Modify
Proposals.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Consolidated Press Correspondent.
Copyright, 1922, by The Argus.)
Washington, d. g, May 17.-Al-
though on the surface it may seem
as if the United States has again
refused to cooperate with European
powers the truth is the government
here is not only ready but anxious
to participate in a conference on
Russian affairs.
From the White house itself
comes the information that the
American government stands ready
today to send a representative to
The Hague or anywhere else to
discuss the Russian question and
that if the powers will modify their
proposals to remove features OBJ
jectionable to this country Ameri-
can cooperation can be assured.
President Harding feels that the
door is open for American help and
wants it clearly understood. The
department of state significantly
enough went into details today in
explaining what appeared to be 4
discrepancy between the informal
statements of Ambassador Child in
Genoa and the action of the Ameri-
can government in declining the in
vitation to the Hague conference.
British Public Amazed.
Cablegrams have reported the
British public as amazed at the
American refusal because Ambas-
sador Child was reported as having
promised American cooperation.
The truth of the case is that when
the powers approached Ambassador
Child they told him the plan was
to form a committee to study the
Russian question. Mr.. Child asked
the department of state what would
be its attitude and received a reply
telling him the government here
was sympathetic with the proposal
and to send more information. Be
fore he could do so the invitation
of the powers with the specific pro-
posals concerning The Hague con-
ference were cabled. This, of
course. looked merely like a shift
ing of the Genoa conference itself
to The Hague and again the Amer
lean government felt that it would
be involving itself in political con-
troversies.
But both President Harding and
Secretary Hughes believe much
can be accomplished if the Russian
question is treated as an economic
matter and if the Russians will re-
spect private rights and property
and thus afford a basis for econom-
ic dealings with other nations.
Hope to Move Russ.
The American reply is intended
as a piece of moral suasion, it be-
ing hoped that the powers will be
able to persuade the Russians that
the giving of American help will
be seriously considered in Wash
ington just as soon as an economic
basis can be achieved which will
warrant. the United States in ex-
tending its hand. This accounts
for the speed with which the
American reply was dispatched.
The powers in conference at Ge-
noa were expected to use the
American note as a medium for
further negotiations with the Rus
SLAMS.
IL official quarters it is fully
realized that the United States can
exert a powerful influence on the
direction of European affairs at
the present moment and the re-
sponsibility of the United States
in the circumstances are by no
means regarded with indifference.
The readiness of President Hard
ing to participate in conference
of the powers on Russian matters
is in itself the first indication of
an affirmative action in d Euro
pean question. The United States
does not wish to dictate the condi-
tions and had hoped that the
powers would reach an agreement
to recognize Russia and that the
United States would follow suit.
The desire of France to follow
America and the eagerness of the
powers to have America express
her opinions is fully appreciated
and the significant thing is that
the Harding administration says
publicly it will enter conference
under certain conditions These
terms it is supposed will not be
difficult to arrange and unless the
Russians maintain an unalterable
position the prospect may be said
to look bright for American CO.
operation after all.