The Washington times., 1922-04-27
MAY DAY MAY
SAVE HARMONY
Of GENOA MEET
France Fears Possible Effect
of Socialist Demonstrations,
Says PoIiticus.
BY POLITICUS

A trifle of calendarial mathema-
tics may save Europe from war.
May comes before May 81.
May 81 is the day on which
failure by Germany to meet in full
the latest reparation demands
threatens to result in a new inva-
sion of the Ruhr by French troops.
May /, next Monday, is May Day,
celebrated on the. continent by all
Socialists as Labor Day. Since the
war, each recurring May Day has
caused trouble for the Paris police,
for the Socialists have used each one
to protest against the warlike pre-
parations of their government. This
year, they seem to be more than
usually I'm earnest in their prepara-
tions. Already. the Socialist news
papers OF Paris are screaming:
"Poincare makes war"
Socialists See War.
They interpret the attitude OF the
French delegation at Genoa as the
first step toward war. They point
to the threats of the FreSch premier
that France will act alone II need be,
to collect German reparations; they
cite the rumors of new war prepara-
tions as a signal that hostilities may
begin at any time.
Dispatches from Brussels declare
that the French consulates in Bel.
| gium have already officially noti-
fled all French residents of that
country that Frenchmen OF military
age must hold themselves ready for
an. emergency mobilization of the
French army. That is a most seri.
| a.Nw e11W
nouncement was one of the first
steps that forecast the world war.
Our own State Department says II
has no confirmation of this dispatch
from Amba ssador Fletcher. That Is
| probably true. When the world
war was breaking in 1914, our State
Department was equally uninformed
concerning the symptoms OF hostili-
ties. Not until that storm broke in
all its fury did the State Department
realize that the peace of the world
was imperilled.
The situation is far from enCourag.
| ing. The Genoa conference cannot
be said to have contributed to Eu-
ropean harmony. II has emphasized
the fact that neither Great Britain
nor Italy would support France in a
crisis. But that lesson seems only
to have made the French more reCk-
less. The neutral countries have
evidenced their overwhelming inter
est in the maintenance OF peace, but
this means nothing to the Partisan
| jingoes. Now comes Russia and
warns Poland against joining with
| France against the Russo German
| treaty-anything but peaceful
| sign. For Russia would not issue
|
ready to follow up any French hos.
tility against Germany by a counter.
action against Poland.
Beck Spoke for Himself
From the United States comes no
word OF sympathy for French
threats against Germany except
from the lips OF Solicitor General
James NJ. Beck, whose speech at the
Joffre banquet in New York carried
| no Administration approval. Its
chief danger lies in the fact that 1t
might be interpreted in France as "A
real American opinion.
With any other government in
Paris, Frances insolation might re-
suit in a little more cautious hand,
ling of world peace. With the pre-
sent organization, however. this very
isolation seems to put a premium
upon saber rafting and reCAes-
| threats 1t must be remembered
| that behind Poincare stands a
French parliament elected in the
height OF victory, which is far more
chauvinistic than even NJ. Poincare.
| Moderation on the part of the latter
would mean his political suicide.
It is a pessimistic prospect. But
| II Is fortunate that May l comes
thirty days before May 81.