MONEY FOR RUSSIA

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23589, 17 March 1942, Page 7

MONEY FOR RUSSIA

Sir,—An editorial from “The Press" of November 8 has just reached me, entitled ‘‘Money for Russia.” To me it seems not only ill considered but ill informed. It says “A loan of 1,000,000,000 dollars is some marks on a piece of paper and about as useful to Stalin in the present crisis of Russia’s affairs as a loan of 10 cents or an illuminated address. Russia needs lanks. . , . Russia has enough gold . . . ■to pay for all the United States is iikely to send for a long time to come.” The billion dollars was a credit established against Russian purchases from the United States, primarily for machine tools and equipment to build an immense tank factory in Russia: so it was no idle “token” or “symbol,” even if it was but a few marks on paper. You go on to say that all United States shipping has been withdrawn from the San Francisco-Vladivostok route in favour of Boston-Archangel on the “unconvincing excuse" that the latter is shorter. Or isn’t it? I think you will know now, anyway, that the major supply requirements were in the west, and that anything to obviate or at least relieve the ever-congested trans-Siberian railway shipments was welcome.—Yours, etc., C. D. E. BARKER. Premier, 8.C.. Canada, December 14. 1041.