The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-06
RUSSIA LOCKS TO
AMERICA FOR AID
AFTER GREAT WAR
Z financial Future Will De-
pend For Large Part on
New World Investors.

New York, Dec. 6-Alexander w.
9ehr, vice-president of the Russian
american; Chamber of Commerce at
Moscow and delegate from that body
TO the International Trade Conference
meeting in New York, told the con-
ference today how Russia, dependent
comm ercia1ly and industria1Ey on Ger
many before the war, looked hence
forth to the United States for capital.
To this end, he said, he had come to
this country to establish Russian
American. Chamber of Commerce,
through which, in co-operation with
the Chamber Of Commerce in Moscow,
he hoped to build up between the two
countries a. "direct commercial. in
dustria1 and financial alliance based
upon friendship and profit rather
than upon politics and greed. When
American dollars come to Russia for
investment he said, tthey have no
political faint upon them. It is to
America alone of all the world that
Russia can look for capital without
some political motive behind it; and
Russia is done forever with the politi-
cal trouble which has controlled her
Industries in the past
Summarizing the industrial situa-
ton Before the war, he showed what
a prepond Grant share Germany played
in the Russian import trade in COM
parison with which Am erican imports
were insignificant. The war would
end all this, he went on and. with
American capital and genius operat-
ing our mines and our factories with
cheap aid efficient labor proourable
in Russia this immense volume of
trade could be made to originate and
end within the Empire to the great
profit of investors. With our pro-
tective tariff, the low cost OF labor and
your efficient manufacturing methods,
there WouldEbe no fear of competition
/ a. rSIT ~ ~ Il
Germany's advantage of cheap Ia
Dor prior to the war, q condition
which enabled her to command the
Russian markets, the speaker tbeliev-
ed would be swept away by virtue OF
heavy taxation which Germany would
necessarily impose. and to meet which
higher wages would have to be paid
the German workingman.
Speaking of the effect Of prohibition
in Russia, Mr.. Behr said: sour eoun-
try has been rejuvenated. The in
creased efficiency and production of
the Russian WorkinErnan is almost in
credible. Personally know of man
ufacturfng plants employing from 20,-
900 to 80. geo men where, despite the
fact that from ten to fifteen per cent
of the workers have been called TO
arms and their places not filled, the
production Of the plants has not been
diminished Thus with efficient, high
class labor which can be. employed
at wages averaging only rs per cent.
of the wages paid in America, with
an inexhaustib1e store OF raw ma
sterfa1, coal and water power those
who come to- develop our resources,
having the whole support OF our peo-|
pie, cannot but reap a splendid re-
ward
Russian ignorance Of American at
fairs and conditions and American ig-
norance Of Russian affairs and condi-
lions he 1amented as the one great OBJ
stacle in the way Of closer relations
between the two countries. It was
to remove this obstacle ne said, that
the Chamber Of Commences was estab-
Ifshed at Moscow, and to further the
work he proposed to establish the
Chamber here What city would be
selected for headquarters he did not
state.