Evening star., 1922-04-19
The New Peril to Europe.

On the face OF 1t, there is nothing in
the treaty signed at Genoa between
Germany and the soviet government
of Russia over which America need fret
itself. Nor is there anything apparent
on its surface which ought to cause
other European nations more than
temporary disadvantage and embar-
rassment. The time and method Of
negotiating and signing the treaty are
a just enough ground for resentment,
but the treaty itself is sufficiently in
nocent in appearance as perhaps to
have warranted the contracting par
ties in believing that they would be
able to get away with it. German
diplomacy has become notorious for
failure to understand the psychology
of other peoples, and the soviet gov
ernment has openly avowed its con-
tempt for the standards of honor
which govern the intercourse Of
''capitalistic'' nations.
But the other governments assem-
bled at Genoa know they cannot ac-
cept the Russo-German treaty for
what it purports to be. They know
it constitutes a certain menace to the.
future peace Of Europe, and In that
light American interest becomes at
once keen and direct We know now,
if we did not know before. that this
country cannot escape involvement in
general European war, and tbs i'm
possible that we should view with in
difference anything which contains
threat of such a war.
No one any longer pretends to be-
lieve that the German people are re-
pentant for having plunged Europe
into war in 1914 The Germans them
selves have abandoned such pretense.
The kaiser is gone and the war lords
are in eclipse. but the spirit of "kul-
tur" and conquest still abides with
the German people. That they are not
the menace to the world they we're
eight years ago is due to lack OF
means The nations which had to
meet that menace and overcome it in
the world war cannot afford that Ger
many shall again equip herself with
the means of conquest.
And that is why they cannot afford
to accept the new Russo-German
treaty at the appraisement which that
instrument places upon itself. Logic
and circumstances force them to read
between the lines the groundwork for
a future military alliance, with Rus
sia's limitless resources of materials
and manpower coupled up with Ger
many's technical and organizing abil-
ity, constituting war machine in
finitely more terrible than that with
which the central powers set out in
the summer of 1914 to make them
selves masters of the world.
To permit such an alliance to be
consummated would he to sign the
death warrant of civilization. The al
lied powers have it within their power
to nip the project in the bud, and the
time to do it is now. Germany has no
free capital for the exploitation OF
Russia without consent of the allies.
for all her resources are mortgaged
to the payment of reparations. The
allies have the authority and they
have the physical strength to prevent
it, and unless this obnoxious compact
between Berlin and Moscow is abro-
gated it should be prevented, at what
ever temporary cost to programs for
the rehabilitation Of Europe. Until
this new menace to the peace Of Eu-
rope and the world is removed there
is not likely to be further criticism of
France for keeping herself well armed
and ready.