TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 18933, 21 September 1920, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

The Statistical Department of the British Board of Trade, recognising that the phenomenal decrease in the purchasing value of currency vitiates comparisons of present-day trade with that of pre-war years, presents tables of values of exports and imports in terms of both pre-war and present values of commodities. The general result is that both imports and exports are shown to be below the 1913 level so far as the United Kingdom is concerned. Taking the quarter ended June 30, the imports in 1913 were valued at £154,500,000, and in 1920 at £441,972,000. The exports for the same quarter in 1913 were valued at £129,751,000 and in 1920 at £341,924,000, both items, imports and exports, showing a very large expansion. On reducing the 1920 imports and exports to the currency parity of 1913, however, a very different story is told. On the 1013 basis imports were worth only £149,095,000, a reduction of 3.1 per cent, on 1913, and exports worth only £95,399,000, a reduction of 26.9 per cent, on 1913.

In view of the part played in Red propaganda in Britain by Russian jewels, it is interesting to record that in July the Paris police arrested a Russian giving his name as Djogoth, and who was believed to have gone to Paris for the purpose of spreading Bolshevist propaganda. When arrested he had in his possession 8,000,000 francs worth of diamonds. He refused to reveal where he obtained them. Three years ago Djogoth worked as a bookbinder in a Paris shop at a small salary'. His career in diplomacy started when the Bolshevik! gained control in Russia. Leaydng Paris he reported in Moscow and in Odessa, where he was employed by Bolshevist, officials as adviser, because of his ability to speak French. French Socialist ournjalosts have traced his participation in Bolshevist propaganda yvork successively in Rumania, Turkey, and even in England, where he arrived at the same time Krassin reached that country. It is believed that, the diamonds he yvas carrying were a part of Lenin’s fund for the use of his agents throughout Europe, and that he wserving as liaison bentween Moscow and individuals for the distribution of yvealth which undoubtedly originated in raids on bourgeois homes.

Amongst other things Archbishop Mannix is a diplomat. Speaking in New York at his enthusiastic reception he said to his American audience: “In Australia I had heard that Americans were boastful, and I had reasoned that they probably had reason to be that way, but, now I can say that they are far too modest in their estimate of themselves and the splendor of their Republic.” The quickest way to an American’s heart is through his “modesty.”