Evening star., 1922-01-19
The Genoa Conference.

The warning note beneath "the
hum of printing presses turning out
make-believe money" in Europe has
at last been needed. The plan for a
general European economic con-
ference to be held in Genoa in March
is a welcome indication to the Bal
timore News independently that
Europe has come to realize that she
is not a collection Of unrelated enti-
ties, but q set of interlocking parts in
an economic machine, none OF which
will function properly II the others
have had their bearings burned
away" Such q conference. including
as it will both Germany and Russia.
is regarded by the ithaca Journal
News independent) as 1.-The most i'm
portant step toward the economic re-
organization and reconstruction OF
Europe that has been taken since the
armistice." And because. as The star
recently declared. it will be 'of vital
concern to the American people,, and
success be great or small. will lead
to every American hearthstone and
for a generation will profoundly at.
feet the well-being of this country,
there is q demand In the press that
the United States shall not only par.
[ticipate. but shall send the abfest
possible representatives. not. as an
"observer." but as a leader.
- Up to now political conditions have
made such gathering "impracticable
II not impossible" but"the present
economic situation Is 80 desperate.
the Utica Press Gndependent) says.
"that political conditions. whether
favorable or unfavorable. cannot
longer be allowed to obstruct gen.
eral conference of both allied and
former enemy nations and Russia.
BY putting political considerations In
the background. the proposed confer
ence. as the New York Globe Qnde-
pendent) sees it, makes "a frank ef-
fort to restore the comfy of nations
which was broken down by the Ger
man attack on France and by the
Russian revolution" ana TOR the n.s,,f nrss st
called into consultation less as q de-
feated enemy than as a sovereign
power" Not that there will be any
disposition for nations ITO rush into
each others arms. declare that all
the past is forgotten and forgiven
calf" the Canadian Vancouver Prov
ince assures us. nor that they will
meet "as conquerors and conquered,
debating and accepting terms" but
rather "as neighbors seeking to re-
|establish commercial intercourse, IN
dustrial activity, financial stability
and confidence, and, Oying to miti-
gate conditions of want and discour-
agement where they prevail" And
this program, in the opinion of the
New York Journal of Commerce lin
dependent), sis the most promising
approach. to a means of disposing of
the impossible economic situation Of
Europe that has not yet been pro-
posed" l..
The Buffalo Express independent
|republican) recalls President Harding's
message to Congress in which he de-
clared that q program of world restora-
tion must be worked out by the ma
tions most directly concerned. They
must themselves turn to the heroic
remedies for the menacfng conditions
under which they are struggling: then
we can help. and we mean to help.
And the Express believes that Mr.
proposed meeting at Gepoa otherwise
than as a response to his challenge and
an effort to meet his thought" This
move toward self.help on the part Of
Europe suggests to the Pittsburgh Dis
patch (independent) that the long
clung-to dream that America could be
brought in as fairy godmother has 1t
last been abandoned" and the New
York Post Independently thinks ut
gu xht not to take washington long to
make up its mind on the part Il will
play at Genoa. Not only is the oppor-
tunity afforded us 'of improving con-
ditions which we have heretofore mere.
" criticised from safe distance" but.
thes Post holds, s'our economical inter-
est - European read3ustmsnt Demands