New-York tribune., 1918-08-01
r. Martens Urges
Economic Aid for
Stricken Russia
Says if America Does Not
Assist Slavic Country Ger
many Eventually Will

The wheat production of Russia in
Europe this year will be only % per
cent of the normal output. according
to an estimate made yesterday by R.
Martens, of R. Martens & Co., just re-
turned from Russia, in an address on
trade possibilities in that country
Speaking in the assembly hall of the
Merchants Association in the Wool
worth Building under the auspices of
the Russian American Chamber of
Commerce to a group of manufacture
ers, Mr.. Martens said that the wheat
forecast indicated the general trend
OF production in Russia and added that
only through economic aid could the
great Slavic country be reconstructed.
He made plea to American business
men and manufacturers to prepare
industrially and financially to ship
goods to Russia in case the govern
ment should announce that it is ready
to render immediate economic assist
ance to that country.
"The government" Mr.. Martens said,
"can only pave the way toward trade
resumption. The business men must
they know about Russian conditions
and Russian needs? Are they trying
to inform themselves? Do they real
ize that if they do not endeavor to
give Russia the things she abso-
lutely needs Germany eventually will,
and that Russia has potentially the
greatest supply of raw materials of
any country in the world?
Isolated for Four Years
THE reconstruction of Russia can
only take place through economic aid.
For four years Russia has absolutely
been cut off from the supply of life's
necessities. For most of that time she
was getting only shells, shells and
shells. She was not getting tools and
farming implements. The collapse of
her wheat producing ability indicates
her need fer the latter. Economic ac-
tivity in Russia is paralyzed because
the people lack the most elementary
kind of machinery, even needles and
pins.
''In Siberia conditions are easier.
Siberia after the war will become the
recuperatine station of Europe for
ten years. European Russia will take
much longer to recover than Siberia,
which last year produced a normal
output of food and fodder amounting
! to 47,O00,000 tons. If 5000 Ameri-
can engineers and large numbers Of
, American tractors and ploughs were
promptly sent to Siberia the produc-
tlon could be increased in a very few
years to 150,0OOO00 tons. Siberia is
on the threshold of an enormous
growth, because untold wealth is stored
up in its natural resources.
Russia in Europe. for its part, is
only in the throes of a fever 1t is
not mortally stricken. 1t has tremen-
dous natural wealth and it has the
man power. 1t possesses three and one
half times as much anthracite, for ex-
ample, as the United States. After the
war, to be or not to be economically
will depend on Russia. The European
nations have drawn enormously on
their wealth in this war. When peace
comes the need for raw materials will
be colossal. Russia has them.
by going into Russia collectively
now American merchants with the sup
port and aid of the government could
make a start in trade with Russia and
certainly would win the friendship of
the people there by giving them the
things that would release them from
the existing stagnation.
Siberian Ports Offer Entrance
I1lCIIOuSl 1OIt ty-1OuF OIL Cne IOrCE-SfX
Russian ports are closed, it would be
possible to resume economic relations
with Russia through the ports of ST.
IBERIA. Over the routes that shells were
sent machinery could be dispatched and
trade resumed on basis of barter. We
could get raw materials, including plat
mum, IN return for manufactured
goods.
after the war we shall have large
numbers OF factories in the United
States that were built exclusively for
war purposes. The problem will be to
convert them into units for the produc
ton of goods that are needed in peace
time and to find an outlet for such
goods. Moreover, we shall have more
tonnage than we know what to do with
ITO make the factories built for war
purposes good in peace times, you must
look out for foreign markets. There is
an enormous field for trade in Russia.
mere Will be tremendous opportunity
10 send machinery across to extract
natural wealth.
Before the Russian collapse Amcri
can traders made the mistake of merely
sending representative to Petroerad
That policy fails to overcome the geo.
graphlcal advantages which Germany
mas mas through its proximity to Russia
Inc way to nullify Germany's superi-
orlty in this respect is to establish in
European Russia, for example, trade
centres in nine Russian cities. so that
American machinery houses will be
within twelve hours from any densely
settled part of the country. At these
centres: centres there ought to be samples and
seepplles OF machinery. and particularly
not have to wait many weeks to get y
piece OF machinery or part from the
United States, when he can get it in
day or so in rcrmal times from Ger
many. In considering this question Of
Kusslan trade we should remember that
before the war more than 46. per cent
OF RUSSIAN imports came from Ger
mary: Inc importation of agricultural
machinery was completely stopped dur
IN ing the the war Hence, the stagnation at
MIR. Martens declined to discuss the
PWrogLamme oeh nm that the Administration at
"ashlngton IS now considering for
rendering economic aid to Russ;ae -oi