An Invitation to Russia.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17701, 1 March 1923, Page 6

An Invitation to Russia.

When Lloyd George invited Russia, to Genoa he was hotly denounced for " shaking hands with murderers" ; but he carried his point, and in general had! the nation with him. Now Mr JBonar Law proposes to shake Bands a second time. In reply to a question in the Commons on Monday he. said that the Government was "disposed" to invite Russian plenipotentiaries to London to discuss outstanding questions; and that means, in plain' English, that tha new Government acsea no mom hopethan the old of settling Europe without reference to its Eastern half. Francs will be offended, and America will hardly he pleased; while from many of his stoniest friends the Prime Minister will ireoery® {he land 1 of criticism £Kat was directed a year ago at his predecessor. But since no one can outline an alter-: CDAtiye. policy it is'hardly useful to ask wifith«r th© «esp step is weakness, or :: : tv* 1 " ' > \

mere inconsistency, or statesmanship. When- the Government refused recently to go with France into the Ruhr, the ''Daily Mail" asked: "Who boa cap•'tured the Prime Minister?" and it will probably aek the same question again if Russia is invited to London. But the question will not be helpful. There are only two possible policies—• terms with the Soviet or war; and if the Government decides that it is better to bring Russia back again; into the community of civilised nations than to have an outlaw in the East forever planning and spreading confusion,, it is not patriotism to condemn that decision without offering a. better. Nor does recognition imply either softness or simplicity. Lenin ia still and Trotsky, Trotslry. Communism haa broken down in practice, and will,probably, not be attempted again, in the life of the present generation; but in the minds of Russia's fanatical rulers it has not broken down in theory. If the Soviet could, it still would, annihilate capitalism and make Uorope an institutional rubbish-heap. Its leaders, who have the merit at least of a cynical. and brutal frankness, have said emphatically that their "economio step "backward" lias "been taken to facilitate another leap forward; so that recognition is really what its opponents call it, a compromise with international scoundrels. But the alternative to recognition is European chaos; it is sand thrown periodically into tho machinery of our negotiations with ,Turkey ; it is endless intrigue all over the Mohammedan world, and it may very easily be an offensive and defensive alliance with Germany and another early deluge. If Mr Bonar Law's invitation actually goes forward we must regard it as the only possible step on an almost impossibly difficult road.