BOLSHIE ENVOY IS NIMBLE NEGOTIATOR.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160735, 23 August 1920, Page 7

BOLSHIE ENVOY IS NIMBLE NEGOTIATOR.

■— There is probably no, iban in Russia to-day with nimbler wits as a negotiator —and even Lenin himself—than Lenin’s chosen representative in London, M. Krassin, says the London Evening News. Ills whole life has tended to sharpen hi a faculties and. widen their range, for ho was an outlaw from his own land for many years Thereby he gained much insight into the ideas of other peoples, and a smattering of German soenoe, and' became a linguist. He speaks French and German with equal ilv.ency, and his ESnglish is not to be despised. M Krassin is now in bis prime—he is 50 this year—and he strikes one as a man who thoroughly enjoys life, and to whom political activities are a soured not of worry but of exhilaration, Sis face is keen and shrewd) but buoyancy is the dominating expression. Indeed, M. Krassin seems to exhale optimism. He has brilliant dark blue eyes, fifhi mouth, and lu- grey beard is trimmed carefully to r>, point He has a way of stroking his beard during his talk, and he 11*05 He tapering hands freely to emphasise what he is saying. He imbibed Socialist ideas in his student days at the Technological Institute at I'et’. ograd Becattse of them lie found l-imsel'' in the early twenties an exile in Siberia, 'there he set to work on the Trans-Siberian railway, and showed such aptitude and ability that within four years he was allowed to return to Russia. Again his political views brought him into conflict with the authorities, and he went to Baku, where he helped to build the electric power station, and helped to run a secret printing press to spread revolutionary propaganda. Meantime he qualified as an enginee", and took a prominent part in the Teti ograd electric power scheme. After the failure of the revolution of 1903 he visited London, Paris, and Italy, finable to returr to Russia, he became an electrician with the firm of Messrs Siemens in Berlin. When he was again allowed to set foot in Russia he represented that fitiU in Moscow and Retrograd. Krassin has for many yeans been a close friend of Lenin’s, though he is sail to have differed from him in regard to his methods. He does not seem to have Icon prominent in the Soviet revolution, but took pant in negotiating the peace of Brest. He -became Minister for Trade in 1918, and Transport Munster last year. Fe admits that the transport system is in a state of chaos, and oils of his aims is to secure skilled engineers and still more engines, rails, and material to try and restore it to effectiveness. He has been engaged for some time past in a search Hr locomotives. His ability as an organiser has kept him in power despite the unpopularity of his a m erratic methods with some of the Workmen’s Councils. Whatever, may be thought of his principles, no one will deny the power of M. Krassin’s personality. He is an unusually capable man in a country in Whicn capable men are scarce.