TRADE WITH RUSSIA

Evening Star, Issue 17977, 25 May 1922, Page 4

TRADE WITH RUSSIA

OB3TACI-ES to a revival. An English gentleman who recently returned from Russia, where he has had exceptional opportunities of forming an : opinion on the present sßurHon. both e-‘ ;• ’ nomio and political, of that country, makes , the following statement to the London 11 ’ Times ’; I There is no doubt that a groat change i is taking place in Russia. i lie Govern--1 meat G nominally Communi.-,! siii], hut it has been forced by eiicumi lanci a to abandon in practice the ComimniLt principles which it stiil prcfeioTs in theory, , -Many factors have c-ontribulei! In ties most siguilieant change, ihe nins! tinportaut of these, of conr.--;-, is Hie u- Ja- - tion of Russia from the enmity nf if Rous. Trade with Russia lias been completely paralysed, and there will be no veal ie- ’ co very from the paralyris until ti;e m-t----iidoiioc of tile world tn Rns-ia t; ksi-"'ed. - This, of course, cannot happen until Hesc, ( recognises her obligations and minimi iemtions between that country and all is r neighbors tire rcMUm'd. Tne-e K tin d-nd i that Lenin recognises this, for this uu--1 relenting Communist has own loti ed : . 1 travel very far from the position be a--- | sinned some year; ago I'nvaie piopdly. s(i si evilly t'orbuluen on ins o’vom' to power and for long afliv.vard-. ir u-s,.'. , tolerated, if not actual!;. cut imrise.l. I People arc allowed to poseesv, iisrac am; J to conduct, leading operation- within !*>•• I frontiers of Russia, on a eapila ist, basis. I Externa! trade ;s s, III! tin monopoly m the- Russian (.'ommif.-a'iii!. 1•-> >■ IH-'e'.g'; 1 Trade. Until this monopoly is aheiisned trade with Kusi-ia wilt ucvruisiy be uililcult. For inslam e. if a uao .-Imsat il L-oi- > don wishes t-o Irad-e with Rn;---:a ois t-rn 1 actions must pass through the olibv .0 t!.e trade de'egatioii in Liirii-m. a 'my Errl poring and to many li.omrs i J., o< i ienamv pile edil’-i'. Mol'C ATT, tic.- '(V.'tnli m p.'i.V 1 ment in exist in.', mrcuntsla u.-es r ives rim to doubts and perpwXity. slime Russia ha , little externa! trade to meditate e.•mniereial exchange. Sn !l l-lade as is being done with Russia is hugely 'u the hands oi tlte Germans. Idle iieainc:-;' ol Gmmany to Russia is one reason tor this. Anoticar r-, the fact that the Germans understand Russia, its people, and its ; eipairomenl; bet ter than we do. Us .oisc tiiey In', e hag a long pre-war experience m m-dnig with Russia, and many Germans a ■- lamiliar | with the Russian language. V, a are noi hk-Jv over to be able to rival lhr-.ee advrnta,;es. V.e bad. however. a von -him a Ido trade with Russia, before (he war. and there G no reason why il should 111 übe revived in course o' time. At present the orders are going ,1i) Gmmanv. pa illy lor the rearms that 1 j have m n;tb -imd. and parliy b, .ause the I I terma:] prices ao- nor-h. be.ver than ours. | tterm.'uy, howcw r, lias her diliienlt ies, i too. lii order to trade wit)! Russia- she must have capital Pm the puivliase oi raw materials am! the payment- ot (he ty-st of mimnfael lire. At present I his capital is not forthcoming in suiiiieient ipuaiititie.-y mm is it likely to be, having regard to ihe great demands made on Germany for reparation. Russia- stands in need most ot Irauspoit and agrieultuial inaohinery. Mho has placed large orders in Get many and Sweden for locomotive engines, and these are being delivered. Orders have been pla'-eu in England and in Canada lor l isten) ears for Hie convey .nice of oil. I liese have been shipped through Xovor.issisk, on the Black y..a. There are some half-dozen British factories in the Ukraine, Hie great grain-raising area. J hew formerly furnished agricultural maclilmuy needed in the locality, and would be prepared to resume operations were trading conditions suitable. J lie immediaie outlook is very sombre. Moscow, Fetrngrail. and i.lhr-r centres of population, no! within the famine a tea., are likely to suffer intensely during the next two mouths, though'l do not think they will be absolutely famine-stricken. (iuc hears a good deal of alleged, eoidiic! between Lenin and. Trotsky, but personally 1 m'ojunifmi caution in crediting rumors t'f antagonism between the two men, \V!ien it eomes In actual policy they seem to lind ways ot accommodating their views the one to the other. The Red army is said to he about a million and a-half in number, but it is not so formidable a body as this might lead one to suppose, and its power for aggi issive purposes may i asily ho exaggerated. Politically it wii! probably follow any Government which is in pnu er. To sum up, 1 do nob think we have yet, reached rock-bo; mm. rind until we do the e-cm‘ruction of an edifice rd Hade wilt necessarily be diliienlt, since there can !>o no viability for anything erected on unel able foundations. At ihe same time, I have IPHe doiibi (bat we are nearer to I'm'!; -hoitom limn we were six months ago.