AMERICA AND RUSSIA.

Southland Times, Issue 19519, 19 May 1922, Page 4

AMERICA AND RUSSIA.

The explanation from Washington that America is perfectly willing on certain conditions, to join in the Hague Conference with a view to discussing the issues between the Powers and Russia, is quite intelligible. America cannot hold aloof from Europe in this matter. Apart from the fact that the ideal of the world’s peace and the fraternity of nations has always been held up before the American people by their leaders, it cannot be doubted that American manufacturers and traders want to be on an equal footing with their rivals when it comes to getting Russian business. Russia is an immense market, and the Americans want to buy and sell in it just as much as the French, Germans and British. But America stipulates that before the Powers meet Russian delegates with a view to discussing financial assistance and a commercial treaty, the Soviet leaders should give satisfactory pledges that Russia will respect life, property, and commercial obligations as they are understood by civilised people to-day. America has ample reason for the attitude she takes up. What nation will lend Russia a million, if there is a risk that Russia will repudiate the debt next month or/next year? What company will establish factories in Russia if there is a risk that they may be confiscated or looted three months after they' are put into operation? What manufacturer will send his goods to Russia if there is a risk that they will be appropriated by the “commissaries of the people” or that the banks will throw his drafts into the fire? There can be no economic agreement with Russia, there can be no trade with Russia, until life and property are safe in Russia, and a contract is a contract there as it is in any country where law, order and justice prevail. Russia has been destroyed by the Soviet, and the Powers would rather not have dealings with the Soviet. But as the Russian problem is perhaps the most pressing in the world to-day, and as there seems to be no alternative Government to the Soviet, something must be done and sorife risk will have to be taken. America merely asks that the Soviet should give satisfactory undertakings that murder will be stopped, that property will be secured to the owner, and that a Russian’s bond, whether that of the Government or of an individual, will be worth the paper it is written on. The Soviet is thoroughly understood in the United States, where organised labour will have nothing to do with it, and the preliminary assurances for which America asks are those which all the Powers are entitled to have. It seems scarcely possible that any conference can proceed far towards an economic agreement with Russia until such pledges have been given, and we may therefore expect to see America represented.