South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-01-21
FOOD PROBLEM
BEFORE BALTICS
EStOnia, Lithuania ad Lat
via Concerned About Sup
plies for Winter.
BY WILLIAM l.. MALLABAR.


LONDON. Jan. 2O.-Just how the
Baltic states-particuarly Esthonia.
Lithuania and Iatvia-will manage
20 get through the coming winter Is
a problem which Is interesting many
persons or high official position in
those countries. Finland is not wOr-
rying very much for she is 20 a
great extent self-supporting and has
sufficient home products 20 take care
OF her people.
The other states. however. are in
a different position. They have
earned 10 rely for centuries on the
rest OF Russia 20 help them by inn
portatious and also 10y taking their
manufactured products. This is the
one great reason for the three states
mentioned being so willing 90 make
peace with the soviet government
even 20 the extent Of declaring they
would at least arrange for an armis-
lice should the allies refuse TO agree
on peace terms.
Finland Self Supporting.
Finland is in the happy position Of
being absolutely self-supporung. II
cut off from the rest Of the world
tomorrow Finland could still man
age TO exist. This. however. does
not apply 20 the other Baltic states.
Esthonia has but a small agricul-
tural population. too small TO fur
nish the cities with their needed
supplies. Lithuania and Latvia are
in a similar case.
The main dependency Of the three
countries has been on their ports
I.ibau. Riga and RevaL From Lbau
alone exports TO the value OF S12,-
000. 600 per annum were dispatched
and form Riga the same kinds Of
goods were dispatched to the value
of more than twice as much. They
have drawn much OF their needed
supplies from the Interior giving ir
exchange access to the oceans of the
world for exports. (These figures
are. Of course, based on pre-war esti-
mates.)
The three states mentioned are
we'll situated i'm order 10 get the bes'
Of terms from the bolsheviks. They
control practically all the outlets i'm
Baltic sea for Russia and no mat
ter what success the bolsheviks had
they could not do much trading
with the rest OF Europe unless they
conquered and occupied the ports of
EsthOnia. Lithuania and Latvia.
u. \ Idea Not Liked.
The suggestion Of "a United
states Of Russia" based on the plan
of the United states of America.
docs not appeal TO the Baltic states
"The fact is that the average resi-
dent of those states does not under
stand the plan on which the various
units of the American states are
eoverner. Any resident Of the Baltic
states when asked why he objects to
q United States OF Russia viii say:
But my country is too small i'm
population 20 attempt TO object &c
any act OF government proposed by
tho rest of Russia. We would be
swamped and outvoted Consequent
Is. we would have TO stand most OF
the taxation and would have no rep
resentation. No, We are better of
as separate country. and that is
all we viii ever consent to-
The main trouble seems To- be that
an the Baltic states are jealous of
each other They have "A new top
self government-an they lool
with prejudiced eve on any person
or group Of persons who has a plan
whereby they viii have to surrender
any portion of their new iudepend
cucc Until they learn that Gin uu-
ION is strength" they will Doe i'm the
same Unhappy and unsettled condi-
tion ass today