Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, JULY 19, 1920. BRITAIN AND RUSSIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15270, 19 July 1920, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MO NDAY, JULY 19, 1920. BRITAIN AND RUSSIA.

J There are grounds for disquietude over the v negotiations which have been entered into between Britain and, the Bolshevist emissaries for the resumption ;of trade and commercial intercourse, ( and possibly for the patching up of a Apolitical peace* It must be frankly admitted thai it is not through any ten- ! derness for the Bolshevik idea that Mr Lloyd' George and other Allied statesmen have entered into these negotiations. Tlie idea that is probably actuating is that tlie present policy of blockade actually gives aid ■ and comfort to Bolshevism, and every attack oil Russia prolongs the life of Leninism. That theory .is supported by historical precedent. It is well known that the terror of the French revolution was strengthened and continued by the attacks of the neighboring nations. The ring of foes compelled the French revolutionists to stand together aaid provided them Vith tho patriotic rallymg'cry ot "Save .trance and tjie Revolution." It has been the same with Russia. The Bolsheviks have never been so united as when" their foes were strongest and never sc weak as last winter after their enemies had been crushed on all fronts. They have grown strong again m the face of tho Polish attack and the rejuvenescence of the Russian South-eastern arniv under General Wrangel. The Alliecl policy seems to bo that if the pressure is taken off Russia the most powerful influence now holding the Bolsheviki together will be removed. The Soviet . will then •no longer be able to charge ' starvation to the blockade; it will have to face it« own shortcomings, its leaders will be free to light amongst themselves, and it will be easier for Russia to' work out a. government according to the will of the majority. .\ll this hi ay be good argument, but- l!>ero is stronger argument based on • moral i grounds against it. Many of the leading : English papers early m June, when Krassin commenced his" negotiations, presented m strong terms national ' autipathy to acceptance of tho »Soviets tainted gold. It was pointed out that upon the Government rests a greai responsibility. Tho honor of England abroad and her security and peace at } home are at stake. ' *The bait that ' Krassin was dangling' before the Gov- ] eminent was concessions to British subjects — concessions for the exploita- ] tion of governmental properties and : concessions for the. exploitation of private properties uucli as industrial • plants,, mills, .mines, and other., pro-, J perties which belonged to private ' owners but which have been confiscated ' to the Soviet without color of legality. l The object of the proposed arrangement ' : is to. have foreign subjects exploit these ? privately owned, confiscated properties. ■"* dv their own behalf and to share tlio * profits and production of such exploi- ] bation with the Soviet Government it- i ieH. The whole •thing, if given con-. 1 ■iideratiou' to the point of acceptance by the Britdeh Government, would t nark a most important departure m i Foreirjin relation? and raise a vr.ry c&'avrv j issue m international law. How could ' I

su iv British Government take its stand m favor of the sancitity of legally a-C'iuired-jwivate property m England or elsewhere and at the same time aecepMich a proposal from Russia So -with the trade -that would be doner — not thai. there would be mucli-'olf it, for Russia,' as one correspondent putt? it. has littlo to export but propaganda. Tho disorganisation has wrecked the transport tation and distribution- of products, has sto].iped production, and spread .rum through the country. Any commodities that might be secured would be 'take if" ■from expropriated mines and factories ( or produced under the system of compulsory sweated labor which, the Soviet has introduced. It would be tainted, ' and should properly be declared black. The London Times publishes an interview with the Rev. F. W. North, Church of England chaplain to the English Church at Moscow, who reached London a few weeks ago with three hundred British and French, (refugeesfrom Russia. Tlie Rev. -Mr North,says the Times, is perhaps more eminently suited to pronounce an opinion on the present condition of Russia than anyone. Not only did he live there for over ten years under the old regime,' but he has also lived through f our yeara of the most terrible period which Russia has ever undergone. He is more competent to express an opinion than many other Englishmen who have perhaps spent- more time than he m Russia, because his work necessitated his constantly being m contact with the Soviet {authorities. He has deliberately. sought out these authorities where other men j made every effort to escape their • notice. He has seen the hollow mockery of all that they pretend to repre- . sent. Commissars . have on many oc- ■ casions thrown off. the mask m his presence, knowing him to he a man whom it would be impossible to gull by tlie cunning methods they employ towards casual visitors. Mr North lias seen, a number of enthusiastic guests of the Bolshevists . from Britain m Russia, and, with his own eyes has seen them ' gulled. He has seen disreputable"schools of starving children, and has himself seen these schools metamorphosed into orderly institutions, to remain such for one day m order to 1 deceive the paternal, benevolent eyes' i-f some dangerously idealistic dreame? from the British Isles. He has seen plant carried from a dozen disused factories to make complete one factory, m . order that the same type of visitor ) might be made to conclude that all fac- " tories m Russia are m a flourishing con- ' dition. Mr. North has no faith whatever m the negotiations to institute trade and to help' Russia regenerate herself. The people, he says, are too weary and apathetic to do anything". Tliey are simply -waiting for it to evolve into something less extreme.- Tlie change will begin to take place when there will remain nothing -more to steal, m- order' to provide food for the Red army. Nobody but the Bolshevists is ■responsible . for the present deplorable condition of | the contry. By trading with" the Soviet , ! we should only be prolonging Russi.rs | agony. Bolshevism must die. There is. no transport to speak of m Russia, and the factories, with the exception of four • or five, are completely at a standst'lh. It is now too late to hope for a .»?- covery, even m tlie event of trade relations being established. And why must Bolshevism die ? Because it destroys, annihilates, without creatine. The Bolshevists have made no effort'-:'- to create. This m itself proves them iO he charlatans, and m mOst cases nvu who are . living for the moment, ' . -who know that the day must dawn when there will he nobody or no single^ thing left m. Rusisa to exploit. Many peon'. e put forward the argument that .the blockade is responsible for. this '-state of affairs. Certainly .the blockade is responsible. But ithe Soviet authorities 7 are responsible foi* the blockade, . "bV. eausje- they have proved .time and tints again, that they have no sense of ''.honor,.' that they are unreliable and treaclierotts, arid that they -cannot keepf a promise. They do not know the me;iuiiur of truth. ' They pretend to trade, and instead carry on propaganda. Britain, who keeps her pledged word, -is at a meat disadvantage m negotiations of > this sort with an' organisation of pio- • fessional swindlers who have-never ddim so. Far better, after the experiences «c. have already had, to leave "'RusV'a i severely alone and let her work out her oavh destiny .m sweat and blood.