Evening star., 1922-06-04
The Fifth Great Power at Genoa.

BERLIN.-One of the most inter-
esting aspects of the Genoa confer
ence, thinks Die Glocke tthe BelD, is
the role of the little entente - Ru-
mania, Czechoslovakia. Jugoslavia-
tina. little group of former subject
states of the Austrian empire. This
paper thinks the group is much less
favorable to the big allies than most
Frenchmen and Englishmen like to
realize, and that it will insist on be-
ing treated as the fifth great power
at the conference. The review says:
The French government has tried
from the beginning to fasten the lit
tie entente to its cart Of narrow
minded and anti-European policy. AT
the time when Poland. Frances hire
ling, was closely pressed by the So
Wet armies. all levers were put into
action In Prague, and still more in
Belgrade. to make the armies of the
/ little entente march against the Rus
SLAMS. But the Jugoslays. as well as
the Czechosiovaks, paid no attention
to Frances attempts at seduction, and
declared quite frankly that they had
no intention of picking the chestnuts
out of the fire for the big allies And
since that time the desire TO serve as
cheap cannon food for the great en-
tente has by no means increased,
| Both in Jugoslavia and in Czechoslo-
vakia tho disagreeable experience has
been made more than once of seeing
the strong ones eat the cherries while
the weak ones had the nuts thrown
at their heads. If the Belgrade and
Prague governments could say what
the people think and what is heard in
the streets every day. the men of
Downing street and the Quay dOrsay
would be making wry faces. The
western powers look upon the small
countries of eastern Europe as if they
were mere colonies; and even Poland.
where French policy met with such
enthusiasm, is beginning to perceive.
now that she knows the conditions of
the French loan, that French friend
ship Is going to be anything but gra-
tuitous in the long run The fact that
the imperialistic policy of Italy on
the east side of the Adriatic is toier-
ated by the politicians of Paris and
London is not agreeable to the south
S,avs In spite of toasts and insist
ing on traditional friendship toward
:he big allies the little entente is
decidedly turning against them. Pre-
cisely in connection with Genoa, the
Vreme of Belgrade calls the little en-
tente's means of defense against our
enemies and against our friends
"At Genoa" continues the writer.
1.-The little entente in order TO snow
its independence. wants TO be con-
sidered as fifth great power beside
England, France, Italy and Japan.
Benes only met with frowns and
evasive gestures in Paris. when he
was sounding the chances which this
project might have. Another fact
also stands in the way, viz, that she
has no uniform Russian policy. Czecho-
s!ovakia. as an industrial country.
sees markets in Russia for her prod
ucts. and having entered into active
commercial relations with the soviet
republ:c. would like to see the Mos
COW rulers recognized. Jugoslavia,
on the other hand, is giving hospi-
tality to some 10000 Russian immi-
grants. and has just received Gen.
Wrangel within her borders. Ru-
mania is continually in conflict with
Russia on account of Bessarabia.
while Poland, on the other hand. AL
though not actually belonging to the