Evening star., 1922-01-18
Not Seen How This Country
Can Avoid Representation.
Before Cabinet Friday.
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

President Harding now has before
him the formal invitation Of the Ital-
ian government to the United States
to send delegates to the economic con-
ference to be held in Genoa March y
next. The message was placed in his
hands this morning by underseore-
tary Of State Fletcher. and 1t now
essss with The aAnAaastsattea~tQet take
action upon the Invitation.
Al next fridays cabinet melting 1t
10 expected that the subject will be
taken up for consideration. in the
light Of circumstances bearing upon
the suggested participation Of the
United States in what may justifiably
be considered another epochal confer
ence Of world powers. One Of the
considerations Is expected to be the
speedy action of Congress on the for
eign debt funding bill, and another Is
the scope and agenda Of the proposed
meeting.
No later than yesterday it was
stated authoritatively that the
for eign debt bill as reported by the
Senate committee yesterday Is en-
tirely acceptable to the President In
its present form. The measure still
has to undergo the process OF legis-
lative perfecting, however. first by
the Senate and afterward by the
committee on conference between the
two houses.
In official circles the weight of
opinion seems to be that unless un-
expected developments arise operat-
ing to dissuade participation. either
in the unacceptabiiity Of the scop.
and agenda of the meeting or in the
foreign debt legislation taking an
turn, 1t is difficult to
see how this government can well
refuse to take part in the meeting.
One Of Series of Meetings.
1t is pointed out that the Genoa con-
ference is but another chapter in the
Harding ideal of conferences among
the nations to determine questions
affecting the peace and material well
fare of the world. In this connection.
tn. question is asked how the United
states, after inviting a conference Of
world powers to discuss questions of
prime importance to the United States
of arnaments and Pacific
and far eastern Questions-could JUS
tify a declination to attend similar
meeting to take up questions re-
garded as of first interest to Europe.
hut in wnlCn IHlS government AdS
concern, nevertheless.
President Harding has consistently
during the past weeks maintained
that the economic conference should
be undertaken on the initiative of
Europe, but has never voiced dispo-
sition to keep this government aloof
from the meeting. 1t is accepted as a
fact beyond dispute, too. that the re-
habilitation of European affairs is of
great Importance to,the material well
fare Of the people and business OF the
United States.
it is seen. it is declared. that the
ADMINISTRATION can. without being
slowly" in accepting the invitation.
until it is prepared to go into the
meeting with legislative backing for
the debt settlement and until a def
mite idea is furnished of the scope Of
the conference.
Acceptable to. Government.
1t has been declared officially here
that the resolution adopted by the
allied council calling the conference
was acceptable to this government.
Especially one clause in the resolu-
ton, which, was aimed at Russian
soviet propaganda. was gratifying.
Section ave Of the resolution recited:
"All nations should undertake to
refrain from propaganda subversive
of order and the established political
systems in other countries than their
own" = 81
Another paragraph, section 6, of
the resolution, Is thought to be .ac-
ceptable to what might be called the
peace spirit now dominating the
world. 1t said: "Ali countries should
join in an undertaking to refrain
from aggression against their neigh
bof."
= Another phase bearing upon pos
sible acceptance is expected to be due
consideration Of the feeling in Amer
ican politics upon the subject OF the
United States participating in Euro
pean affairs, but it is pointed out that
the United States. has invited u Sec
tion Of Europe to join In the con-
s.leration Of far eastern conditions.