The Cairo bulletin., 1913-01-02

FIFTY MILLIONS
COMMERCE WITH
RUSSIA IN PERIL
Treaty of 1882, Regulating Trade
Relations Expired Tuesday
at Midnight.
AMERICA SUFFERS THE MOST
Refusal to Recognize Passports Of
Jewish Citizens Led to
Abrogation.
AMERICA SUFFERS THE MOST

Washington, Jan. / Through the
expiration Of the Russian treaty Of
1882 at midnight Tuesday the COM
-merce between that county and the
United States, estimated at about
$50,000,000 annually. will be placed
In a position of uncertainty amount
ing to jeopardy.
No formal or informal understand
ing between the two governments
ooking toward the continuance and
regulation of this International trade
has been made since the treaty abb
rogation By President Taft, and i.
WAS learned this afternoon that tn
wboic matter Will be left for the ae.
tiop 81 the incoming Wilson admin
!stsatiou
AZ tho State Depasmont It was
said that undoubtedly the general ar
bitlation laws governing trade and
navigation will apply, but just how
fa- they will tend to relieve the sit
uatlon they do not pretend to pre-
dict 1t was pointed out, however
that the two nations are on the best
of terms and that he comfy between
nations would guarantee American
cii2ens IN Russia againa theft affsi
destruction, though il would form
no insurance against discrimination
America to Suffer Most.
That any retaliatoey policy that
might be adopted would bear more
heavily on American firms than Rus
tan bueiness organizations was
readily admitted in diplomatic cir
cles. The ratio of harm that such
policy would work upon interna-
tional traders would be about two to
one with the United States on the
heavy end This Is made evident by
the export and import statistics be-
tween the two countries recently
made public. These showed that
the United States yearly sells about
twice as much to Russia as Russia
does to the United States.
The dangers to American trade
and American citizens that may fol-
ow in the wake Of the treaty ahro-
cation were outlined as follows.
A local license or regulation
denying Americans the right to
do business in any part of Rus
sia.
Exclusion of all American
citizens, whether of the Jewish
race or not, from Russian ter
ritory.
Prohibitive tariffs in dis
elimination against American
goods
The refusal of American con-
sui rights over estates of
American citizens in Russia.
Again all of these dangers the alb
sence of treaty between Russia
and the United States would render
TIRE latter country powerless to re-
tarate. Even the maximum tariff
law Of the United States won d be
Of little avail should Russia set out
upon a policy of discrimination
Taft Served Notice.
The decision of this government
70 terminate the agreement between
Russia sud the United States was
reached a little more than year
ago by President Taft after the
House of Representatives had passed
sweeping resolution formally ter
minating the treaty and directing
the President to carry out its man.
date. While the matter was pending
in the Senate the President, by ex-
ecutiye action, ended the treaty. or
at least served notice on Russia, in
accordance with the tFms of the
treaty, that this government woald
cease to- abide by it on January /,
1913 The reason, as is well known
was the refusal of the Russian goys
eminent to recognize American pass
ports when held by American Jews
Efforts We're repeatedly made
through the State Department to In
duce the Cars authorities to i've nf
to the terms of the treaty. and since
the action taken by Congress and
the President year ago various at.