The Press Wednesday, April 12, 1922. The Genoa Conference.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17428, 12 April 1922, Page 6

The Press Wednesday, April 12, 1922. The Genoa Conference.

The long-awaited Conference of- the nations at Genoa has opened at last, and the first session was of a kind to fix the attention of the world upon tlhisv momentous gathering. The decision to hold the Conference was come to at Cannes in January, when a long resolution was carried setting forth that* " the Allied Powers consider that the «' resumption of international commerce " throughout Europe, as well as the der '•' velopment of tho resources of oil coun- ■" tries, are necessary for the purpose of "increasing the amount of productive " labour, and to alleviate the sufferings. " endured'amongst tihe various Euro-r '*pean nations. A common effort by "the most poweiful States," it was added, "is necessary in order to render " to the European system that vitality "which is to-day paralysed." No long time elapsed after Cannes before it became evident that France would torpedo this Conference if it could, and M. .Pomoare-lost little time in getting ,to work to substitute for the Conference method the old method of arrangement by f Notes, hut Mr Lloyd George made it plain to the French Premier that the Conference would be (held on the lines of the Cannes resolution, and that so far as Britain was Concerned, her representatives would go to Genoa without France if'necessary. France fears, or professes to fear, that the reparations ! problem may be taken up and handled jin\a manner detrimental to France. She | objects also —and here we should say that when we speak of France we mean the* French Government—to any kind of recognition of the Moscow Government. But what the French politicians chiefly dislike is the whole meaning of. Genoa. They went to Washington without much reluctance (and without much real goodwill) because that was a gathering of Powers, not including Germany, 'or 'Russia, discuss the Pacific and naval matters. Genoa is different. The object here is the immediate discussion of immediate methods of setting Europe sanely and safely on its feet, and this is'not at all pleasant to the French politicians. Hitherto; with the Supreme Council the final authority in a Council oi viotors, that is to eay— Franco has been able to keep French policy well forward. This policy has been (tescribod as "the policy of a Con-"-tine at dominated by France, with the " acquiescence and, if occasion requires, 'Athe active aid of Britain and ItaJy, "with a disarmed and tributary Germany, a, Russia held at arm's length, "and a number of lesser States amen"'»blo either to French influence or "French intrigue." Genoa portends the substitution- of Europe—which includes Germany and llussia—for the Supreme Council) and, we hope, the [substitution of the British for the French policy. The British, policy, we can call it, because Mr I/loyd George's policy, as expounded in his opening 'Bpescb, is supported by all the wisest !hoods in Britain. The Prime Minister ' stressed in his speech the' fact that the I Conference' was a meeting of the Euro* 'peon nations through their Qovernmente, end her spoke of it as one saying that it was the turning over of a new leaf in international affairs. The "eanire clamour" which is deafening Europe is almost entirely French, and although it will not cease under Mr Lkryd Georgo'B reproof, the very feet that the Conference has mat gives good ground for hope that tfee rising spirit of goodwill and common-sense is about to take oonunand in Europe, to the: great benefit not only of Europe, but of all the world, including even this Dominion.