The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-04-17
COERCIVE CLAUSE
NEEDED, HE AYERS
Warns Bolsheviki Are
Mobilizing on Western
And Southern Fronts.
BY H. WICKHAM STEED
Editor OF London Timea.


ing Genoa could do any positive good.
Negative good in the form OF avoid
ing evil may perhaps come Of it. and
the conference should be accounted a
success II IL leaves the European sit
uation no worse than heretofore.
I do not think it opportune to
write a critical history OF Genoa at
this juncture. Its origin as a reac-
ZION from the unsuccessful Franco
British attempt to graft an economic
financial conference on the Washing
ton conference-a reaction which de-
veloped an equally unsuccessful effort
to provide a platform for a British
general election at the beginning of
the year-isn't SO crystalline as to
invite a detailed analysis. Rather Is
II necessary to deal with the actual
and prospective situation at Genoa
so the cou Sc Of proceedings may be
understood.
Moves for Peace Discussed,
Forty Eight hours ago the air was
full Of rumors Of an impending Brit
ish proposal for military holiday"
These rumors have subsided. For
unascertainsb BILE but easily guessed
reasons. plans for a military holiday y
or even the promotion of a formal
engagement Of the powers not to at
tack each other for ten years have
been postponed-some say a few
days, some say until toward the end
of the conference. II, and when, 1t Is
revealed. it probably will be found
that France will be anxious not to
reject 1t summarily. but to make II
really effective.
Attempts to give practical valus
to the sixth resolution of Cannes
all undertaking to abstain from ag-
gression-will be superfuous, mas
much as II merely duplicates Arti-
Gle x of the league of nations COW
enant. The question is whether il
would be worth while TO duplicate
an important provision of the COW
enant or whether adhesion OF Ger
many and the Bolsheviki to Ar
ticle X. pending their admission to
the league, would meet the case.
Ceerctve Provisions Needed.
Besides, limitation of land armo-
ments is not comparable to limita-
ton of naval armament. 1t Is dif-
fcult to maintain a secret feet, but
1t is less difficult to maintain Sc
cret armies.
Again, n mere platonic engage
ment to refrain from aggression is
useless Coercive provisions against
infractious are unde deniably neces-
sary. The French have consistent.
ly advocated an international police
force under the auspices of the
league for the purpose of uphold
ing engagements. This proposal
would necessarily be revived with
added cogency il it were sough.
to give effect to the sixth Cannes
resolution or to propose a military
holiday.
BoIsheviki Are Mobilixing.
Meanwhile the Bolsheviki. vino
according to Tchitcherin. are anx-
ious to support every proposal
tending to tighten military bur-
dens. are rushing troops to their
western and southern frontiers
Under the pretext Of military exer-
cises an extensive mobilization has
been carried out. Trotsky has in
spected the Polish frontier, making
infiammatory speeches. Commissars
Frunse and Kameneh inspected tho
garrisons at Kieff and Odessa. as
well as Crimean army. Their Ian
guago was the same as Trotsky's
This may be merely the military
backing for Tchitcherin's protests
against Rumania's presence in Bess-
arabia and Japan's in the Far East
But it may also have another
purpose-to stop food supplies OF
the American famine relief work
ers, who are mainly concentrated In
towns in western and southern
Russia. Confscation OF these stores
for the Red forces would be the
natural development in case of a
Bolshevik campaign.
Reds Win Social Recognition.
Impatient souls who complain
nothing has been done overlook the
important fact that progress has
undeniably been made towards po-
liticai and social recognition of the
Bolsheviki who have now firmly
established themselves as arbiters
of the conference. If de jure recog-
milton of the Soviet system is still
outstanding, the bolsheviki at least
have won social recognition by
launching with the British prime
minister. and Rakawskis daily lee
tuTC " thC PiSoc VI ali hdt1OHS lie
one of the most crowded functions
connected with the conference.
Italian and even German talks to
the confiding journalists are more
While the British, French and
or less sparsely attended, the bril-
liant allocutions of the Bolshevik
from the Ukrania attract such suf-
locating multitudes that the de-
mand for respirators is becoming
keen.
Signs Of Irritation.
1t is true that the atmosphere of
the conference is not yet impreg-
mated with hopefulness. Signs OF
irritation are noticeable in some
unexpected quarters, even In the
Italian press. But these obviously
proceed from men of little faith
who have grown weary in pursuit
of something real ideal. Compare
son between Saturdays converse
ton at Lloyd Georges villa and
the Brest-Litovsk peace negotia-
tions are current here. It is urged
in many quarters that the allied
conversationalists should have imi-
t,<ad Hartman the German general