WOULD LEAD TO RUIN

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11452, 28 February 1931, Page 5

WOULD LEAD TO RUIN

CANADIAN TRADE WITH

SOVIET.

VETERAN BANKER’S OPINION.

(17.P.4. Elec. Tel. Copyright} OTTAWA, Feb. 26,' Protests are accumulating against the proposal of Colonel H. j. Mackie, acting-on. behalf of the Soviet, to arrange the sale of 02,000,000 worth of . Canadian farm machinery to Russia in exchange for £'£oo,ooo worth of Russian coal and the balance in gold. Coal producers of Nova Scotia, Alberta, and British Columbia declare that the importation of coal would ruin', an already depressed industry, Retailers of Ontario have already sent a protest to the Government. Saskatchewan farmers see in the acquirement of more farm machinery by Russia an indication of still greater Russian wheat production, and declare that the proposal should only he considered in the light of securing an agreement with Russia that the Soviet will not dump wheat. Thev also suggest a. fixed price. MONTREAL, Feb. 26. - Tf Canada were to accept the Russian overtures now before the Dominion Government and exchange machinery for Soviet _ coal and _ gold, she would, in the opinion of Sir Herbert Bolt, simply be expediting her own economic ruin, since she would be supplying Russia with the means of becoming a more formidable competitor than over. The veteran president of the Royal Bank of Canada emphatically said in one of his rare newspaper interviews : ‘We should not allows Russian coal or wood to penetrate our markets. It is produced by conscript labor which is worse than convictlabor. The Soviet allots a _ number of workers to agriculture and lumber enterprises, and says, ‘Unless you work we will give you no food.” SA QKATCHEW-AN EPS DECIDE TO ENTER POLITICS IU.P.A. by Elec. rei. Copyright) ('Received Feb. 27. 11 p.m.) VANCOUVER., Reb. 26. Saskatchewan advices state that the United Farmers of Canada, Saskat. chewan section, with a membership of more than 26,000 decided to enter politics and will seek the backing of all citizens in electing Parliamentary candidates, both Provincial and Federal, on a policy aimed at ultimate social ownership and non-profit production.