Evening star., 1916-08-06

more than providing Russia with mu-
nitions to carry on the war. That IL
ment of direct financial arrangements
between the two countries with a view
to future business.
At the beginning of hostilities far
Frank A. vanderlip, perceived that
after the war there would be a great
Russian trade which would be diverted
from its present channels. Instead OF
talists began laying the foundation for
Immediate trade. A most thorough
study was made of Russias economic
resources. as well as Of the conditions
under which business heretofore has
been conducted. Much of the informa-
ton gathered was given to the public
with an educational purpose in view.
Various associations of manufacture
ers in the Omitted States took up SINH
lar lines Of work for the benefit Of
their members. and in some cases rep
resentatives were sent to Russia to
make detailed Investigations.
Later the Russo American Chamber
York with Charles H. Boynton as
president. This international body has
the Endorsement Of the Russian gov
ernment
government
States, following the general trade ex-
pansion policy inaugurated during the
administration of Presidents Roosevelt
and Taft. when 1t came to selecting
commercial attaches. designated one
to serve at Petrograd. Henry D. Baker,
one of the most efficient consuls in the
service, who had made numerous i'm
portant trade investigations all over
the world. was loaned by the state
Department to serve in that capacity.
Mr pa iS n
sular duties, but his work at Petrograd
has been of great value.
Finally President Wilson, in looking
around for suitable AMBASSADOR to
Russia. persuaded ex-Gov. David R.
Francis of Missouri to accept the
place Mr.. Francis is one of the fore
most business men of the country, and
in view of the Importance of our fu-
ture commercial relations with Russia
his selection was an unusually for
tunate one.
From this review of the successive
steps taken by the United States gov
ernment and through private initiative
1t is clear that the value of Russia as
a trade field has not been neglected.
The policy of preparedness has been
consistently followed out.
Americans will not have to await
the conclusion of the war or even of
the present military drive in clearing
the country of the enemy to go forward
with their plans for sharing in Rus
future commerce will be can only be
outlined. but in a general way It may
be said that special efforts will be
made to secure the market for manu-
factured goods.
Heretofore raw materials have been
the chief Russian imports from the
United States, and cotton has been the
principal one of these. The cotton sta
tistics were always misleading, be-
cause the direct importations through
the Baltic and other ports were not
large. The bulk of the raw cotton for
the textile mills of Warsaw and Lodz
and other industrial centers of Russia
came through Germany.
Expert opinion recently has been
given to the effect that after the war
Russia will not be a large purchaser
of American cotton, because she will
be able to supply her mills from
Turkestan and other parts of the en-
pire, and will supplement this supply
by importations from Egypt and In
dia. This pre-supposses that Con-
stantinople is to pass from the control