New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-24
Ability of Russia
10 Export Products
ls Overestimated
Economic Expert Says For
eigners Fail to Realize Rail
Systems Are Demoralized
and FarmL ands Rundown

oAAU aTul1LAnO6 hunlJOWu
CONsTANTINOPLE, july 2s--Ru..
sia's ability to export raw materials in
Inc near future has been greatly over
estimated by foreign countries, in the
opinion of Colonel B. Englehard. for
merly member of the Russian Dnma
and student of economic conditions
IN Russia before and after the reyolu-
Ton. In talk with The Associated
fress correspondent he said that for
signers seem to fail to realize the col
lapse OF the Russian transportation
systems, reduced manpower and run
lands. AL
ms comment was evoked by reports
OF the negotiations Of Russian eco
nom1c agents with Premier Lloyd
George in London and the announce
ment that the United States had lifted
pronlbltions upon American trade with
Soviet Russia.
Colonel Englehard is confident that
russia Will again play an importa mt
TO- roe IN european markets, but, he said,
the revival Of Russian trade will not
eoMe until there shall be established
normal state Of life, when men shall
renounce attempts of establishing i'm
e1lately the paradise of Communism.
1T should be borne in mind that
European Russia has been greatly re-
duccd in size" said Colonel Enelehard
,f,ormerly it had over 5000. 900 square
tkllometers OF land and 157 1000, 900 in
hab1tants. Poland, Finland, great
part of the Caucasus and several Bal
t'c provinces, with about $4,000 900 in
habitants, and about 1.25O,0O0 square
k,liometers Of land, have detached
.,,,, Grain Yield Greatly Reduced
The greater part of these detached
territories ordinarily had notable
surplus of grain and other farm pro
ducts which constituted the major part
Of Russia's exports.
lin 1913, the last year when condi-
TONS were normal in Russia. exports
were valued at 1900 900, 900 gold
rubles, or $75O,o0o 900. The creates
single item in the export list was
grain. The total grain exports were
l2,S1O00O tons, valued at 1926, OO0, 900
European Russia used to harvest So
ooo,00 tons of grain annually. With
IT'S reduced area, with the breaking 10
OF big estates, lack of machinery and
ruin wrought by continuous war in
many of its most fertile areas, it may
be affirmed the grain harvest of the
Soviet republic will scarcely reach
"One cannot count on any consider
able expectation of grain from Soviet
Russia in the immediate future. So far
as Siberia and the provinces in Central
ASIA are concerned, they used to pro-
duce 800 pounds of grain for each in
habltant The civil war must have
reduced the normal very considerable.
and it is doubtful whether any consid
cradle quantity Of grain can be ex-
ported from Siberia
Flax Outlook Bright
Colonel Englehard says livestock of
All sorts has been reduced SO greatly
by the war that it is impossible to
consider the expectation of meat or
live animals. The civil war in the Don
and Kuban wiped out the sheep there
and make the extensive expectation of
wool impossible. The sugar industry
is so disorganized and fuel so scarce he
does not believe Soviet Russia will be
able to supply its local market for
many years.
Flax is the one farm product which
Colonel Englehard believes Soviet Rus
STA will be able to export in large guam
titles Immediately.
Oil is the greatest hope of the Soviet
government. in the opinion of Colonel
Englehard. Large quantities Of oil
Baku fields, and it is the product which
all the world is seeking Fighting has
interrupted the Baku- Batunf pipe line
repeatedly during the last few months,
but Georgia and the Bolsheviki have
now reached an agreement and the
prospects are better for oil sales in
batum. The Grozny oil field, which is
entirely dependent upon the Vladikav-
kas railway for transp ortation, is also
IN the hands of the Bolsheviki, who
have control Of the railway and can
readily transfer the product to Baku if
rolling stock is available.
But up to the present time the Boil
shevik regime has only diminished the
production of OIL" said Colonel Engle-
hard. 1t seems certain that the nation
allzation of enterprises everywhere by
the Communists will work the same
havoc in the oil fields that it has in
"