Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-01-17
OF
RUSSIA OPEN
FOR TRADERS
Partial Lifting of Block
ade May Have Marked
Effect on Markets.

London, Jan. 17.-Commencial re-
lations will be reopened between
The allied nations and the Russian
people at once. rs q result OF 2 de-
cision reached by the supreme
council at Paris yesterday. This
step. which reverses the former
policy OF the allies toward Russia,
does not imply an altered attitude
toward the Trotzky-Lenine govern
ment, it was emphasized.
Conflict Of News.
Relations between the allies and
soviet Russia fill q great deal OF
space in this mornings news
papers. Dispatches from Paris
show a strange conflict of views
the hurried journey to
that city on Thursday of ministers
and chiefs of the army and navy.
Some advices assert they were sum-
moned there to consider the dam
gers from bolshevism, while others
declare that they were called for a
general discussion of the European
Sees Much Significance.
London newspapers chose for
the development in the
Russian situation most suited to
their respective views. Thus the
Daily News, which advocates peace
with the bolsheviki. describes the
announcement Of the reopening of
trade relations as "momentous
news which on the face of it means
the raising of the blockade. In its
editorial comment the News says:
This wise decision may involve
mo change of policy in regard to
the soviet government, but in re-
gard to the Russian people, it in-
wolves q change Of policy, which
had It been accomplished earlier,
would have given ds today a very
different world"
The labor organ. the Herald, says
il the announcement sincerely
means what it says, it definitely
implies the raising Of the blockade.
But" 1t continues, "the Russian
policy Of the allied governments
has been SO tortuous and their de-
ceptions have been SO many that it
will be we'll to wait and see"
Suggests Peace.
"The dominant fact is that. the
anti-bolshevik side in the Russian
civil war has collapsed" remarks
the Chronicle. "The best thing,
now, il it could be done, would be
to obtain satisfactory peace with
Russia = perhaps we cannot
get such peace, but we might try
and If We cannot we must make
up our minds to face the full gray-
ity Of the alternative"
This newspaper urges that it Is
useless to indefinitely prolong. a
state OF inclusive hostility. which
can only result in, military Russia
which will be a danger, no matter
what regime secures ultimate con-
troll"
Await Details.
London. Jan. 17.-Representa.
tives here of Russian cooperative
ORGANIZATIONS are eagerly awaiting
advices as to how the allied deci.
sion to partially raise the Russian
blockade will be made effective.
Although the official statement
setting forth the allied decision in
dicates that trading between pri.
vate firms and individuals is Still
under the ban, the Importance oI
the ruling may be appreciated vher
IT is stated that the cooperative SO.
cieties, which alone are affected. il
recent years have become the chic
medium for the distribution o,
goods to the Russian peasants.
Ten Of these organizations. hay
ing offices in London, claim to rep
resent the interests Of upwards O
50,000.0 peasants.
Affect World Markets.
1t Is, believed that the lifting O
the ban on Russian produce await,
ing export may have a far-reachin,
enect on prices in the worlds mar
kets. The agent Of the centra
Russian Flax association docla re,