The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-18
RECOGNITION OF SOV|ETS BY U. s.
 STILL FAR AWAY
Must Await Restoration of Productivity in Russia by That Country Itself, Is
 Attitude
By Associated pr,ss

Washington, May 17.-Any ques- tion of the recognition by the United States of the Russian soviet govern ment lies beyond the time when res toration of productivity In Russia shall have been set in motion by that country itself, according to an authoritative and plainly spoken outline of the attitude of the Ameri- can government obtained today. Re- fusal to participate both in the Ge- noa conference and in the proposed commission consideration of Russian affairs at The Hague, 1t was added was based on the cinviction that such a restoration could not be hoped for under the terms outlined in the Russian memorandum of May II, at Genoa
 In the meantime, 1t was explained, the United States Is ready to em- bark with other powers on any pure ly scientific investigation of con- ditions in Russia with a view to recommendations as to steps neces- sary for the commercial, financial and industrial revival of that coun- try; but it will have no part in any such deliberations which even imply a recognition of the soviet regime and would thus tend to- "perpetuate delusions,' among the Russian peo- pie.
 Impossible Barrier
 In the American view the Russian memorandum, from which 1t apeared the proposal for the sessions at The Hague was an off-shot, would have exactly that effect in Russia. That memorandum, referred to by MT. Hughes in declining the invitation to The Hague, stands as an "impas- sible barrier to the establishment of any relations with Russia" it was said. If 1t was in the minds of the Russian delegates that loans and other forms of credit might be es- tablished in the United States with out there first having been set up in Russia such conditions as would warrant investments there on sound. economic basis, they are la- boring under complete delusion and no good purpose would be served in the American view by entering upon discussions at The Hague which could never reach a happy is- sue while the attitude indicated in the Russian memorandum remained unchanged.
 1t has been said repeatedly by American officials who have a hand in guiding the policies of the govern ment that recognition of the soviet government by the United States and other countries would not set afoot the economic rehabilitation of Russia. Secretary Hughes indicated this clearly when he informed the Genoa group in his recent note that remedies for Russia's problems must come from within Russia herself" Administration officials generally are wholly confident that the Ameti- can people would never approve rec ognition of the soviet regime and in- dicate their belief that the assem- bled delegation at Genoa should by now fully understand tho fixed na- ture of the American policy of stand ing wholly aloof from any interest arrangement that might have the appearance of moving toward such recognition.
 Sympathetic Reply Given
 During the day it was disclosed that an original French suggestion from Genoa, seeking to draw out an expression from the Washington government as to it's attitude toward what was construed here to be a proposed purely economic investiga- tion of Russian affairs by a joint international commission, had met with wholly sympathetic reply, al- though no specific acceptance was sent That exchange was hardly on the cables before the formal in- vitation to The Hague was received and proved to be a wholly different matter. since 1t was presumably pro- posed as a result of the Russian memorandum of May Il. The mes sage rejecting this formal invitation was expedited in the hope of avoid ing any confusion in reply to the French proposal for wholly non- political, scientific inquiry with the answer to The Hague invitation.
 There seems to have arisen some misunderstanding in European cap itals, nevertheless. and the very pointed reaffirmation of the Ameri- can position here today undoubtedly was designed to clear away the least misapprehension in Genoa or any feeling that later conversations might induce the United States to enter a discussion resting in any way on Russian attitude for politi- cal as we'll as economic phase to the meetings