Evening star., 1920-02-01
BUSINESS PLANS
RUSH ON RUSSIA
interests Encouraged by En-
tente's Announced Policy
Toward Soviet Territory.
BY HAL O'FLAHERTY.


by cablegram to The Star AMI the Chicago
| Daily News. Copyright. 1927
i STOCKHOLM. Sweden. January rs
/ Encouraged by the news of the COM
mercial policy now proposed by the
! entente toward soviet Russia which
holds out a slight possibility of reopen
ing trade, many commercial men who
have been waiting on the outskirts of
Russia for nearly two years are NOV
ing closer to the frontier. prepared upon
a moments notice to begin a rush for
business Tonight's boat for Hcsing-
furs carries full complement of acents
Of American, British and German houses
anxious TO take claims on the new
ground. They have been preceded by
scores who have established bases in
Helsngfois. Reval and Rigaand have
even had shipments consigned to them
ut these parts.
Investigates Finnish Conditions.
Last week | invo stigated conditions
IN the Finnish ports and talked with
high government officials from all the
Baltic states regarding their prepara-
tons to take up commerce toward the
east They are all after this trade but
in every case they express doubts as to
transportation facilities.
Every advantage Will be given to ship
ners who want u use Finnish ports as
transit points. Thr same is true in
Reval and Riga. but in the excitement
OF the moment man! overlook the ter
1ibie state OF the transport in all these
Countries where revolutions follow mill
tary campaigns. each destroying great
portions OF the rol..ns stock and right
OF way until little is left with which to
carry heavy traffic. Finland is perhaps
better situated in this regard than any
of the other Baltic states, but even she
cannot bear a much heavier strain on
her railroads
Another Phase Considered
Another feature involved in immediate
trade with the land of communism lies
IN the absence. of any sound currency
Wltnin that country with which to pay
FOR imports. especially IN the northern
portions, where production has been at
a standstill for two years. ANY trading
around the Petrosrad district must be
on the OASIS of barter and trade Fur
ther south it will b,, possible to find
substantial firms selling accumulated
PRODUCTS for good British or American
money and using these funds to restock
the countryside with supplies of cloth
ing, machinery and the little luxuries
long denied This business will nm.
4aoubtedly go through the waterways
by way of Riga toward the south.
View of Americans.
Two American shipping men who
were waiting in Reval to watch deyel-
opme ats declared that the whole prob-
lem rested upon the new policy to-
ward bolshevism. which, being a Sc
rious menace to any established busi-
ness mousse. must be confined to Russia
or XIII any great development in trade
They expressed complete satisfaction
with the condition of the various Bal
nc ports. but they wanted to be sure
mat the Baltic governments had no
leaning toward communism before hao
ginning trade
1t is. therefore. unlikely that the
American merchant marine will be en-
gagged in the Baltic traffic until after
tne present crisis is passed and it is
known whether the bolsheviki can
carry out their threat against orpan-
lzed representative government in tho
surrounding countries.