Evening star., 1922-01-24
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Just why the United States govern
ment will not be represented officially
at the economic conference to be held
at Genoa in March is for the moment
the most interesting story in the
capital.
No one reason, but a combination
of circumstances have prevented
President Harding from accepting, on
behalf of the United States, the invi-
tatfon recently extended by the allies
to help reconstruct Europe and in
directly the economic situation of the
whole world.
First, the Isolation bloc in the
United States Senate has served no.
tice that. if the administration insists
On going to Genoa, it can expect seri-
Gus opposition to ratification Of the
treaties and conventions adopted at
the Washington conference on arTna-
ment.
Second. the administration is dis
couraged over the refusal of France
to discuss reparations at Genoa an
adjustment of which is regarded as
essential to economic recuperation
Third, unless the United States gov
ernment can make good the promises
and agreements entered Into by the
executive branch of the government
and present to the world fully ratified
treaties, Americas word at interna-
tional conferences in the future will
be of little avail.
Johnson's InAuence.
Ever since the return of Senator
Hiram Johnson from trip to Cali
fornia. the Isolation bloc" consisting
of the original '.irreconcilables" who
fought the Versailles treaty. plus a
few others from the democratic side
Of the chamber, have constituted an
vent ratification Of the four-power
Pacific treaty, as well as other pacts
adopted by the Washington confer
ence. Mr.. Johnson's announced oppo-
of his wsvering colleagues. Senator
Brandegee, an original irreconcilable.
told the White House the feeling
against meddling in Europe's affairs
was still strong in the Senate. and
that it was going to be difficult get
ting a treaty through which dealt
with Pacific affairs.
President Harding will not, of course,
say publicly that he is refusing to go
to Genoa because of the situation in
the Washington conference has COM
pleted its work there is no use talking
about other international conferences.
By completing its work is not meant
merely the adjournment of the main
conference. That is only the begin
ming. 1t means ratification of the
treaties by the Senate. For. when the
Washington conference ends. it will
have reached merely the same point
as the Versailles peace conference
the critics then begin their work of
dissection and analysis.
Senate Waiting.
Tho Senate is keeping quiet till the
whole set Of treaties is submitted.
Then the biggest question of all will
be answered-whether the executive
branch of the government under a re-
publican administration can do any
more in handling the Senate on for
eign policy than democratic admin
istration. The drive for ratification
has not begun, but the first victory
has been won by the isolation bloc,
which has already obtained the APP
proval of the White House to its plan
for the consideration of domestic mat
ters first and treaties -afterward,
No matter how enthusiastic Mr..
Harding or Mr.. Hughes might be for
participation in the Genoa conference,
they cannot send official representa-
tives II they wait till after the trea-
ties are ratified. because the Genoa
conference will be under way and
probably adjourned before the senate
gets through discussing the Treaties
Ths expectation now is that the trea
ties Will follow the enactment of a
bonus bill and a tariff bill. This in
wolves indefinite delay. but the admin
fstration has not vet interposed any
objection to'that order of business.
Expected .. $. Entry.
The administration told the dele
gates at the Washington conferences
that it was favorably disposed toward
an economic conference. Premier
BRAND went away with the conviction
that America would attend. Prime
\ Minister Lloyd George was convinced
the United States at last was coming
to the aid of Europe. British flexf-
bilfty and compliance with American n
wishes at the arms conference was
based almost entirely upon the belief
that cooperation with the United
States at this time meant closer CO.
operation on economic affairs later on
But Mr.. Harding made 1t clear that
the United states would not take the
initiative. Europe had to do that and
the United States would consider the
agenda or program carefully before
committing herself to participation.
In the midst of this situation the
oTl0no HiHtStTy was CFerthrOwn and
the first thing Premier Poincare did
was to abolish the supreme council
and decline to permit French dele
gates at Genoa to discuss German
reparations These two external de-
velopments gave the Harding admin
istration an opportunity to avoid Civ
ing domestic reasons as the excuse
for declining the invitation to Genoa.
Economic conferences are bound to
be held and America is likely to at
tend. but they are postponed now
until there is a showdown on both
sides of the Atlantic. In Europe it
must be determined whether the
Poincare policy of French isolation is
TO be triumphant and in America It
must be determined whether the
policy of American isolation is to be
dictated By. the United States Senate
10 the chief executive. Until the in
ternal dilemma in the French chamber
of deputies and an analogous situa-
1ion in the American Congress IL
clarified economic reconstruction is
indefinitely delayed.
Copyright, 1927