The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-18
TEMPORARY PACT
WITH RUSSIA
Takes Place Of Abrogated
Treaty Of 1882 and Pre-.
vents Tariff War.
Mashinet6n. Noy

Washington. Nov. 1S.--An under.
standing whereby modus vivendi will
be established between the United
States and Russia to prevent com.
| p'ete rupture of commercial relations
on January l next. when the American
brogat ation of the commercial treaty OF
1882 becomes effective. has beer
reached by Secretary of State Knox
and Russian Ambassador Rakhmeteff
| The exact details of the understand.
ing have not been made public. but IL
Is said that an adjustment has been
made that will prove satisfactory to
both countries. A great tariff war is
thus averted. and, incidentally, anoth.
or long debate in the present congress
has been avoided.
1t was generally reported that an
agreement had been adopted between
this government and Russia, as re-
suit of the conferences between Secre-
tary Knox and Ambassa dor Bakhme-
teff. but it has been learned definitely
that the result of the diplomatic nego-
tiations cannot be termed an agree
men," 1t is simply an arrangement
for q modus vivendi. to be sealed by
the exchange Of informal notes. and
will not have to be ratified by the
United States senate.
Passport Question Goes Over.
HI olioI WOTuos Tue nuSSltu.AIneFl.
can passport question. which is the
fundamental issue involved. is to be
passed on by the present administra-
tion to Woodrow Wilson. The only
effect of the understanding between
Mr.. kroX and Ambassador Bakhmeteff
Is to preserve the status quo until the
new administrat ton comes into power.
The negotiations were concluded on
ly after a number of conversations be-
Sorratarv nf Stafa LSnnv and
Russian Ambassador Bakhmeteff. be-
ginning last summer and continued at
infrequent intervals. Only in a gem
eral way can IL be said that an under
sta nding exists. however. for the de-
tails of the arrangement remain to he
worked out. Even with the best of in
tentions on the part of the negotiators,
municatfon between Washington and
st. Petersburg save ny the unsatisfac-
tory cable method. it is going to con-
sume little less than the seven weeks
that intervene between the present
date and December 81, when the old
treaty expires to accomplish this mu-
tually desired result.
No Official Details.
Owing to the extreme delicacy of the
subject. and the possibility of the COM
plete failure Of the proposed agree
ment in event that there should be
public discussion and criticisms. neith-
er party to the negotiations is willing
to throw any light upon the details of
the arrangement. From such side
light as is obtainablc. however, It ap-
pears that Russia has not consented to
modify its practice Of refusing pass
ports to American or other non Rus
sian Jews. The czar's government has
always held that such Jews. even
though they are American citizens, are
not entitled to travel or reside in Rus.
STA. because the existing treaty pro-
vides that any American seeking to en-
ter Russia shall submit to the laws and
ordinances there prevailing.
The state department has never ad-
mitted the soundness Of this conten-
ton. and when congress by resolution
ordered the abr0gation Of the treaty
the actual though not the formal
ground being this alleged discrimina-
tion against American citizens-the
departments position necessarily be-
difference between tho two countries.
direct act of congress and the other
upon long g-standing internal laws. It
seemed an almost hopeless undertake
ing to prevent that complete sever
ance of trade relations between two
friendly nations which had been
dreaded by a large business element.
viii Withhold Maximum Tariff:
II is said In all probability Russia
will meet the Issue by refraining from
applying her maximum. and practical
ly exclusive tariff duties to imports
from America. In the ordinary course