WAR DEBTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20793, 12 August 1929, Page 7

WAR DEBTS.

TO THU EDITOR. Set/—All who are interested in international politics are following with keen interest tho policy of the MacDonald Government towards Soviet Russia, because, eventually, whether wo like it or not, Russia must, despite Soviet rule, have a place in the world politics. She has great potentialities, and to a considerable degree is the world’s granary, and with a growing intelligence—politically, socially, and economically—she must become a potential force in world politics, a fact all statesmen recognise, although they may n°t express that opinion. Mr Philip Snowden, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has expressed an opinion that we, as a nation, have been too easy in a financial sense towards other nations regarding the payment of war debts, and have now reached the limit; We all quite recognise that Mr Snowden has some justification this admission, because, as Minister of Finance, and associated with a Government aiming at social betterment for the people, he naturally requires the necessary finance to make his proposals practicable. However, the question arises. Has Russia any moral right as a nation to repudiate the war debts and refuse to pay them, ®nd is not this the great problem the British statesmen have to face? The average person and student of international affairs, “thinking Imperially,” will have no hesitation in saying that Russia has every right to pay her war debts. But again, there^are others who to-day recogmse that this great country is now a republic and totally alien and opposed to capitalistic government (if I might use that phrase), and that by virtue of this fact she is quite within her rights in re-, fusing to pay her war debts. The student of international affairs has to take this into .consideration before giving a final decision, nor does it .necessarily follow that in these matters that the politician is always right. The psychology of the Russian people to-day is entirely different froin the pre-war period, and ,in visualising through British spectacles the application of Marxian philosophy to modern Russia it would be well to realise that this eystem has come to stay, although as time proceeds modification may be inevitable. * undamentally a student of international politics would undoubtedly say that the .British system of Government and those of Russia are as wide as the poles asunder, xne first is based on a system which the Russian leaders look upon as their enemy, and as representing totally opposite ideals to their own. politically, socially, and eC v lU ?u lca an d this is the real reason wfiy they refuse to recognise war debts in *. B y? tem of government to which theirs is diametrically oppoaed. It perhaps may seem quite reason. ,5* “ e £- Bfc gjance to say that Russia should shoulder her war debts, but on deep and serious consideration is there no moral right on her side? Many students of international politics will say *® s ’ “5. in forming a present-day judgment of this great and growing Power we must understand that to-day the psychoiogy of Russia is entirely different from the old Romanoff dynasty and that we are dealing with a new and evolving Russia and likewise a new social order now on its trial. Because a person should view the matter of Russia repudiating her debts a standpoint nor capitalistic, and likewise one intercsted in international matters. I do not ttnnk he could be accused of being antirlAls“- My reason for writing this letter is tnat the Russian viewpoint cannot be ignored by those who. possess an international mind, and whilst it is an open question -whether Russia is morally right nevertheless, seeing that the ideals of Russia are diametrically opposed to those of other European nations and our own. and that the war debts were the creation of the old order of things, has she not some justification for her attitude?—l am, etc., Elliot Standfield.