The daily times., 1922-02-11
INSISTS
. ON enforcement
OF THE LEAGUE
BOTHERS GENOA MEET
The United States Was Ready
to Write a Note Declining
to Attend the Genoa Con-
ference Because of Lack of
information When France
Opens up Questions.
(By David Lawrence.)
Copyright 1922 by The Daily

(By David Lawrence.)
copyright 1922 by The Daily
Times.)
Washington, Feb. 1O.-Premier
Poincare of France has again upset
all calculations as to when get
together conference can be held be-
tween America and Europe.
The latest note from the French
government addressed to the United
States and other powers opens up
some old controversies and makes it
necessary for the Washington govern
ment to modify the reply which was
expected to go forward today explain
ing why this government feels it in
advisable for the present to accept
or reject the invitation to participate
in the world economic conference at
Genoa.
Premier Poincare revives the
league of nations fight by insisting
that France will not permit the
Genoa conference to infringe in any
way on the province of the league Of
nations either with respect to repar-
ations or any other measures for the
making Of peace in Europe. The Hard
ing Administration has been able to
do business with Europe through the
creation of Supreme Council which
has for the last two years at least
taken over many of the functions of
the league particularly in the matter
of reparations. This Council has been
abolished for the time being by
France.
Everybody here knows that the
French premier is not SO fond of the
league of nations itself as he is the
enforcement. clauses of the Versailles
treaty which are bestowed upon the
league of nations to carry out. To
abandon the league means to aban-
don the tight legal hold which France
has over Germany for the next gen
Grafton.
Until the note came from Premier
Poincare, the United States govern
ment was basing it's refusal to par
ticipate on a lack of precise informa-
tion as to the scope of the confer
ence For one thing, the American
government wanted to know more
about the intention of the powers to-
ward the Russian soviets. The Brit
ish government is ready to accept the
promises of reformed bOlshevlk
government while the Department OF
State here insists that the changes
must be accomplished facts before
commercial or political relations
should be resumed.
/ But Russia would not be an OBJ
stacle to American participation IN
the Genoa conference if everything
lelse were smoothed out. Unless the
powers of Europe are ready to dis
lcuss reparations, the officials OF th'
American government see no prac
Itica1 advantage to the conference. Al
discussion of reducing the allied wa
ldebt to the United States is regarded
las futile if the debts of Germany tt
1.-THE Allies are not to be considered.
The situation is drifting for tn
moment from close coperation will
Europe which it had been hopet
would besa direct consequence OF th'
ARMS conference to one of isolation
lfor France and for the United States
respectively The British are in
middle position anxious to bring
Iabout another conference if there il
lany way possible to compromise th'
iopposite viewpoint of the United
Estates and France. The Washington
{ administration favors the conferenc
Idea and would go to Genoa in a min
ute II the, program were limited ant
if all the powers agreed to look a
1.-THE situation from practical view
point. The will to agree is not ye
and the spirit Of the Frencl
.ireply is interpreted here as one o
| ,procrastination. The Poincare polio,
CONTINUED on Page 3D.