RUSSIAN CONCESSIONS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 89, 14 April 1923, Page 12

RUSSIAN CONCESSIONS

TO GERMAN-BRITISH LAND

GROUP.

The agricultural concession agreed upon between the Soviet Government

and the German-British group headed by Kvupps has been ratified, according to the Berlin Press, states the "New York Times." This concession involved about a quarter of a million acres. It runs thirty-six years and covers an area in the south-eastern part.of the. Don Cossack region, which must be under cultivation within six years. The Soviet Government guarantees all the leased laud to be the properjy of tht State ;uja to have been suob prioi tt> th» revolution. The rent is not jbo exceed 10 to 15 p_er cent, of the net- eaiu.

According to the agreement, Bussian labour'is to be furnished to the concessionaires. Foreign labour, must not exceed 50 per cent., and foreign supervisory and.clerical employees 75 per cent, of the total. The. preferential "right of purchasing; grain from the concessionaire is reserved by the Russian Government at world market prices. The concessionaire may rent land to its own workmen and employees only and disputes betwen the Government and the concessionaire are to be decided by arbitration. In an interview in the "Vossiche Zeitung" of Bth December, Dr. Sorge, one of the Krupp directors and ■ managere, stated that 75 per, cent, of the capital of the. new company, amjountwg to £100,000, was finally obtained in England through Leslie Urquhart, chairman of the Russo-Asiatic Consolidated, Ltd., but without his own participation or that of his company. The Kruppa, however, are large stockholders in the Russo-Asi-atic Company. _ The Board of" Directors. of the concessionaire company will be largely "British and, will sit in London.

_ The Germans .profess their main objective to b,e a direct source for cheap bread, and, secondarily, the development of an outlet for Germaji agricultural machinery and" manufactures. An important question is the disposition of the peasant population at pres-. ent settled on the land selected for the Cjoncesaion. ■ , " •