Evening star., 1922-05-21

Logically they had the best of the
argument at every turn. Diplomati-
cally they were helplessly gripped
by realities.
Russia is in a state of extreme
economic disorganization. Its eco
nomic life can be saved and it's health
restored within a reasonable period
only If the capitalistic world grants
huge credits, temporarily feeds the
famished people, rehabiIitates the
broken-down transportation system.
supplies a huge nation with tools
and manufactured articles and gives
the beginning to a stabilized currency
system in place of the present bot
tomless morass of paper money.
Domestic situation Arose.
The Russian delegates had to
reckon with the domestic political
e.:vation. Politically. it was impos-
sible tor them to return to Moscow
burdened with the acknowledgment
of a 10000. 100000 gold ruble debt.
committed in still semi-communis-
tic order of society to return and
protect the holdings of foreign in
vestors and committed to such abdi-
cation of national sovereignty in re-
spect to their courts as the London
conference proposed.
Logically. the Russians had valid
claim tc offset the debts it was pro-
posed to force them to recognize.
If the soviet government was de-
cIared to be the continuous, legiti-
mate successor of the czarist gov
ernment and therefore bound to ac-
knowledge the czarist debts. 1t was
also the legitimate. continuous sue
cessor of that government In the
fullest political sense and had the
right to claim damages from the
powers which had never declared war
against it but had furnished a vast
amount of aid in credits. war NUM-
tions and food to the enemies OF the
soviet government on every ooroer'
Failed to Unite Front.
The logic of this attitude was
waved aside by the powers. Ihe
extreme and pressing that Russia
representatives were prepared 10
forego their logic, acknowledge the
old debts, and compensate II not re-
store property to foreign nationals;
provided in return they were granted
credits
To return loaded not only with
obligations but with hands empty OF
credits was politically Impossible.
The powers saw this. but found great
difficulty in uncovering conceiVaole
sources of credits in anything IKE
down economic situation of Russia
demanded
All through the negotiations the
powers failed to present a united
front England was working for the
economic reconstruction of Russia at
almost any, sacrifice of political aloof,
ness. Belgium stood firm for literal
return of property formerly pelons-
ing to her nationals and refused TO
discuss compensation in lieu or ac-
tual return.
Series of Crises.
France wanted acknowledgment OF
the old debts, but was prepared 10
give nothing in return and hnally
cast in her lot with Belgium against
England, demanding literal restora-
tion of property to foreign nationals.
The conference became a contlnu-
Gus series of crises-crises not only
between Russia and the powers. but
between the powers themselves. The
Franco-British entente was en-
daneered and left sadly strained
The conference was almost wrecked
by the wholly unexpected CONCLUSION
of treaty between Russia and Ger
many, secretly consummated In the
very heart of the conference.
Mr.. LLOYD George met these crises
with consummate tact and grim de-
Termination to hold the conference
together French determination to
sacrifice none of her logical and alb
stract rights to contribute to the So
luton either of the Russian question
or any of the problems of reconstruc-
ton made the task of the British
premier one of the greatest of his
life.
Political Bombs Hourly.
There were surprise explosions of
political bombs almost hourly BY
miracle of management on the part
of Mr.. Lloyd George, aided at every
turn by the policy of conciliation and
good sense on the part of 1tay, the
succession of crises was passed
The settlement of the Russian ques-
ton has been no settlement at all,
but merely reference to them. The
direct successors of the Genoa con-
ference are the two Hague commits
sions, one composed of representative
of the powers, with the exception of
Germany, appointed not at the con-
ference, but by the individual gov
ernments; the other including repre-
sentativeS of the soviet republics.
They are to meet at The Hague to at
tempt to find some common basis of
action.
Lloyd Georges Dream.
At the opening of the conference
Mr.. Lloyd George denominated the
gathering, not as an economic con-
ference. but a peace conference. He
had drawn in alarming terms a pic
ture of peaceless Europe with un-
fixed frontiers from the Baltic to
the Black sea, every mile fraught
with possible danger. He came to
Genoa with the belief that the con-
something was done, even of a tenn
iporary character, giving insurance
against the breaking out of hos
tilties.
He had in mind simple ten-year
pact of onaggression in which
every nation of Europe would unite
in agreeing to recognize existing
> frontiers and not to invade its neigh
bors during the life of the pact.
This would have been a little less
effective than article X of the league
of nations covenant, but more -prac-
ticaf. as it would embrace Germany
and Russia
Pact Found ImpracticabIe.
The clear-sighted. youthful premier
of Czechoslovakia, DR., Edouard Benes,
looking beneath the surface to the
realities, saw that such pact was
impracticable. He declared frontiers
that were only battle fronts could
not be guaranteed, that the pre-
requisite of non-aggression pact
must be British-French alliance
guaranteeing France against aggres-
sion by Germany.
r0intad a.