New-York tribune., 1922-04-02
GENOA

-HY the Allied premiers at Cannes
A/ chose Genoa Italy, as the setting
w for what promises to be Europe'a
greatest International conference is
still bit Of a mystery.
Timid ones already forecast trouble in this
.re;ent Italian seaport when East and West.
oriental and Occidental, Reds, Germans, AL
I.s and Neutrals begin to raise their voices
.round the conference table. Politicians and
Economists with ideas will be in Genoa. Rev
,lutionsries and reactionaries and progressive
;a.as may clash. Italy's Socialists and Com.
,unists will be on hand, and 50 will Italy',
"Ku Klux Klan," the ant-Socialist Fascist
organization.
Perhaps the timid ones who have predicted
something more interesting than economic dis
cussion at Genoa have been looking into Ceno-
csc history. II history repeats itself, the next
few weeks will make Genoa one Of the most
interesting cities in the world from the stand
point of news. In any event, it will be the
most headlined in world newspapers. Genoa
has perhaps the most unenviabe reputa-
.ion of being the most revolutionary city in
the world
Genoa makes a special appeal to America
because every school child knows that Colum-
bus was born there, and perhaps also because
nine out of every ten Italian Americans OF
their parents or grandparents, or great-grand-
parents, went up to Genoa and chopped off"
in the direction of the land of promise Genoa
has sent more immigrants to America, includ-
ing indirectly Christopher Columbus, than any
other port of Southern Europe. But what
most American school children do not know.
and what at least eight of every ten Italian
Americans may have forgotten, is that Genoa
was beginning belligerent career some eigh-
teen hundred years before Christopher Co.
urnbus was twinkling his toes in a cradle on
Genoas waterfront-about 400 B. C.-and
Genoa has had that reputation ever since, in
cluding the Socialist general strike on Lenine's
last birthday.
Now that Genoa is about to enter the world
spotlight for a time, perhaps it is apropos to
say that the Genoese are to-day very proud Of
Christopher Columbus, but ancient Genoese
some hundreds of years ago were not very
proud of Columbus. The only thing he ever
did for Genoa was to be responsible for some
very lean years for Genoese merchant ship
ping Genoa owed her very existence to trade
with the Orient by way of the Levant. Wher
Columbus exhibited his egg and his theory
around the Genoa docks the wiseacres of the
town had exactly the same idea about the
worlds shape as Wilbur Glenn Voliva, of Zion
City, No idler could tell them differently. Co.
lumbus took his egg and his theory over to
Spain and Portugal. When the Spanish and
Portuguese were "sold" on the egg trick they
Immediately got the nerve to go around Africa
after the Oriental trade, and Genoa had to
take a back seat. Incidentally the Suez Canal
had not yet been dug. Spain capitalized Co.
lumbus's discoveries and Columbus was so
fattered that he took out Spanish naturaliza-
ton papers. Nevertheless, the Genoese are
still very proud of Columbus.
Genoa has revived somewhat since the Co.
lumbus setback. Her port is to-day the first
port of Italy and the fifth port of Europe,
ranking just after Marseilles, although her
population is under zoo, 900. From the stand
point of turbulent history the Irish could have
taken lessons from the Genoese; and if all the
centuries could be rolled into day, the
ancient streets Of "Old Genoa" would doubt
less be buried deeply under the bodies of those
who have fallen in them.
Many of the delegates to the conference
will view Genoa for the first time with mixed
feelings. Some will be surprised by it's beauty
and magnifconce, while others will be disap-
pointed with its filth and hideousness. AS it is
on the Riviera, many will expect it to have
delightfully."- balmy climate.
Genoa is built in The form of an amphi-
theate" around the port. Not far back from
tho