The Washington times., 1920-09-01
RUSSIA CAN STARVE
ALLIES, HER CLAIM
Vast Resources Of Country Vital
to World Recovery, Says
Woman Soviet.
NJ BARBARA DnPORTE.
Isternattoaai News Service.

but Soviet Russis can stsrve the allies
into making peace. The day 10 not
far off when that will happen"
A beautiful woman who Is one OF
the pillars OF sovietism. although
not herself a Bolshevist, said this TO
me today In a tone devoid of threat
or bravado.
This woman 10 Varvara Nicolaevna
Polovtxeva- Few knew that she has
been, and is, one of the chief figures
In the trade negotiations here be
tween Soviet Russia and Great Brit
ain. being one OF the triumvirate
OF soviet emissaries who compose the
Russian commercial council In Lon
don.
Despite all the recent threats Of a
now blockade Of Soviet Russia by the
allies. the members of this council
are proceeding calmly with their
work here.
The only woman member of the
soviet trade triumvirate 10 so strik-
Ingly beautiful that for the first few
| minutes i could think OF nothing but
her looks Her hair. done In old
fashioned style. was quantity dressed
In black and white lacy creation
OF her own.
But II was not long before ! hung
upon her words. for she Is a conver-
sationalist OF charm and brilliancy.
and scientist OF real erudition. A
graduate from several universities.
she holds doctor degrees from two.
NOT A BOLsHEvIsT.
She told me she was not a Bolshe-
visit, but believed in working with the
soviets now that they were the only
actual government in Russia.
Did any American Republican ever
refuseIto serve under the Democratic
Administration during the war;" she
asked me with an ironical smile.
Then she continued in a serious vein:
THE last seven years have bled
Europe white. They have destroyed
the basis on which the economic
structure OF eastern Europe was built
and they have considerably shaken
that OF western Europe.
UNLESS Europe regains its eco
nomic equilibrium. the world will
witness social crisis the like Of
which has never been recorded In
history. Political peace is the first
requisite of a condition under which
Europe could straighten out and un-
der which commerce and trade and
agriculture can be developed. An
other war, or even continuation Of
the present condition, Is suicidal
This is not Mr.. Churchilis opin.
ion," ! smiled.
RUSSIAN RESOURCES GREAT.
mo. because he does not realize
what sort OF country Russia is" was
her quick rejoinder. "Russia's natu-
raj resources are so great that no
matter how badly exploited and vast
ed they may be they will still be suf-
icient to enable her to hold out much
longer than Mr.. Churchill believes
yes, even in case OF a new blockade.
you have seen how Russia has
held out so far. What can the world
gain by repetition OF the last two
years. Nothing. But the world has
much to lose.
ut Is true that the allies can do
without our raw materials for a
while-but not forever. Very soon
they will have to come to terms. Why
not now? They need our flax. our
wheat. furs, leather. metals.
Eighty per cent OF all the platinum
used in the world comes from Rus
sia. No. the allies cannot get along
without Russia much longer or there
will be consumers crisis in com
parison with which the present living
are like nothing.
Not only do the allies need Rus
sia for her raw materials, but Also
as a market for their finished pro-
ducts.
Take America alone. In looking
over the statistical tables OF the trade
done by the United States I was as
tonished at the figures Of import and
export before and since the war The
rate at which American export has
increased is almost uneQualled.
AMERICA NEEDS MARKET.
This is due to the fact, of course.
that America was practically the only
country whose general production and
industrial development were not
stopped by the war. but were in
creased by 1t. But with the Euro
pean countries coming back to normal
industrial life, the United States, not
to retard her Industrial development,
will have to look for more markets
for her goods. Russia is the best and
greatest market.
The recpt announcement of the
Soviet government inviting foreign
capital to invest in Russian develop
ment should open very tempting pro-
spects to Americana"
How do you conciliate that invi-
tation with your system of complete
Naturalization" / asked DR.. Polovt-
zeva.
well. you see" she answered. I'VE
do not give capital free hand in
Russia. We shall give each firm or
individual special concession,
limited as to the object. place, period
for which II should hold and the con-
ditions under which work should pro-
ceed. all this in strict accord with
the letter and spirit of our socialist
government.
And although this concession will
not be as Immediately and as hugely
profitable as those granted in less
civilized countries, yet they will yield
enough in the long run to be ad-
vantageous investments. expect
they will be found especially so by
who understand organised
business. Americans are the modern
Ritzari, knights of industry. They
are not pettily greedy for Immediate
returns; their methods nre not cheap.
and they have Imagination in busi-
ness.
II should like to go to America
and help organize there our future
business relations with the United