Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-01-28
PEACE WITH
THE BOLSHEVIkI?

THE lifting of the Russian block
ade." prophesies the Boston Trans
cript Und. Rep "can only be inter
preted as the prelude to the early
recognition by the Allies of the Sow
let government" "A forecast of
eventual recognition of Soviet Rus
STA agrees the Omaha Daily News
Und), and these opinions are str
enlightened by later news from Rus
STA that the Lenine government will
refuse to trade with the Allies I'M
less a military armistice is declared.
If, as the New York Mail (Ind.)
says, the lifting OF the blockade
constitutes a complete reversal of
Allied policy toward the Soviet re-
public what are the reasons for
this change of heart? The declared
purpose, as announced by the SUI
preme Council in Paris, is ito rem
edY the unhappy situation of the
population OF the interior of Russia"
but the Mail calls this IAN obvious
attempt to place upon high moral
plane an innovation Enthusiastically
undertaken because Europe needs
Russia's grains. her flax and her 9TH
er raw products" and the New York
Journal OF Commerce tInd.) takes a
somewhat similar view:
Russia offers an enormous mar
kot for machinery, tools, locomotives
TG.iS. automobiles. agricultural i'm
PIGMENTS, textiles, clothing, rubber
goods, chemicals. and a great variety
OF other products produced here. In
exchange Russia has to offer a GER
tain amount of gold besides raw ma
teri&ls like hemp, hides, fax and
otLay products which this country is
prepared to buy"
The journal of Commerce points
out that while trading with a coun-
try you refuse to recognize is a new
thing in international diplomacy"
still "in the history of the world
there has never been anything quite
like the situation existing in Rus
STA"
The Boston Post Uud. Dcm.) Of
fers yet another reason for trading
with Russia-it may tend toward
making the Russian government
more conservative. To quote the
Post:
1.-THE sufferings and priyations of
the Russian people through inabil-
ity to trade with the rest of the
world are just the factors that soy
fetism thriyes best on. Furthermore
II IS believed that the Red leaders
have been able to weld the Russian
people together by pointing out that
the Entente nations, as shown by
the blockade, were banded against
them
This reasoning Goes not SATISFY
the Tacoma Ledger dnd9, which
thinks "the solid. unacceptable truth
is that bolshevism has tyiumphed. ~
and that trading with the Russians
will give aid and comfort to the
men who are the enemies of demo
cratic society and who are avowedly
building and planning for the future
overthrow of democracy throughout
the world" The Toronto World
likewise warns us that 1t is not the
trading with the Russians that is is
important as the implications Of the
proposal and no one outside OF Rus.
STA can set limits 10 the possibilities.
So, too, the Detroit Free Press lind. >
has doubts of the wisdom of the new
oliey-Which looks llkas policy
born OF combination OF sentiment
>0rdidress and weakness. rather thar
= policy born Of 2rOad-visioned
consideration Of the best permanent
interests Of the world Furtao
fro Free Press says;
Nheu the utterly perfdious ma
l}e eli the soviet regime is taken in
In rom TT .7-,4f inn xrAau Tho .--r,U.g,,