The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-02-17
America At Genos7

our present administration Is never
too confident of itself-whether or
rot we shall accept the invitation to
confer with the other great nations
of the world in an economic confer
ence at Genoa.
There are several difficulties" and
some Of these seem almost insuper-
able to the administration, which
takes as one of its chief policies the
undoing of whatever policy Is asso-
ciated in any way with the admins
tration of Woodrow Wilson.
For one thing, the conference at
Genoa was called by the League of
Nations, which does not exist in the
notion of Washington.
For another, we still fear being se-
duced into forming an "entangling al.
lance" although we have just form
ed batch of them.
And for still another, we do not
know exactly what to do or say as to
Russia and certain distinctly Euro
pean questions.
But it would seem almost essential
that we go to the Genoa Conference.
One of the reasons put forward by
the administration for not wishing
to attend the conference was that it
would not be worth while if France
does not attend, or if she goes to the
conference with a program we could
not approve. We demand the full
agenda, which is, in the nature of
things, almost impossible to have.
The invitation sent out for this
conference by the League of Nations
shows at glance why we should at
tend it, and also, how it might be
exceedingly awkward for us to share
in its deliberations. The first of thu
conditions" set forth in the invita-
tion is as follows:
"The nations can not claim the
right to dictate to each other the
principles according to which they
must organize their frontiers, theil
regime of property, their economy
and their government. 1t is the
right of each Country to choose fo,
itself the system which it prefers"
We should have to slur over the
Philippines and Puerto Rico and even
Haiti, but we did not hesitate to slur
them over at the Washington Confer
ence. Besides, we should be in "fast'
company in this respect-with Eng
land and France, who, with us, urged
Japan to get out of Shantung, while
saying nothing about anybody else
getting out of the Philippines or
China. The great nations can still
be utterly inconsistent and demand
standards of moral conduct they do
not hold for themselves. So we could
go to Genoa without fearing unpleas-
ant recriminations.
SO much for the evasion of the
chief difficulty-next, of course, to
doing anything that recognizes the
existence of the League of Nations.
And conditions two and three
should be worth our close considera-
tion. They read almost like para
graphs from Hughes communica-
tion to Mexico:
2. Nevertheless it is not possible
to place foreign capital in order to
help a country unless the foreign
ers who provide the capital have a
certitude that their property and
their rights will be respected and
that the fruits of their enterprise will
be assured.
8. This feeling of security can not
be re-established unless nations OF
their governments desiring to obtain
foreign credits freely engage: (a)
To recognize all public debts and OBJ
legations which have been contracted
or will be contracted or guaranteed
by states, municipalities, or othe,
public organizations, and to recognize
also obligations to restore or, in case
of default, to indemnify all foreign
interests for loss or damage which
has been caused by the confscation o,
sequestration of property; (b) to es
tablish legal and juristic punish
ment and assure the impartial execu.
ton of all commercial or other con
tracts.
The Conference ought to attract
our interest and cooperation.
AS to the attendance of France, il
is fairly certain that she will fee
compelled to attend-only she must
get some delay, as she is not pre-
pared to 90 into conference so earl!
as the first days of March.
AS to Russia, Lenine has recently
announced an entire change of pro
gram and policy, and is on the ere
treat" as he himself calls it, towart
the ancient capitalistic system, i
only as a temporary resort. W.
might deal with Russia on fairly
equal terms, certainly upon terms
that we could discuss freely, ever
with Lenine.
This Conference will be stupen-
dous event in the rehabilitation o.
Europe, and it will, therefore, be Of
tremendous importance to us. W.
should at least take our due part In