Evening star., 1921-03-17
|ANGL0-RUSS TRADE
PACT IS SIGNED
London Press Sharply Criti-
cises Terms of Agree
ment.

LONDON, March II. - The trade
agreement under which commercial
| relations will be resumed by Great
| Britain and Russia was signed here
| yesterday by representatives of the
two countries.
The agreement is essentially the
same as the draft taken to Moscow
by Leonid Krassin, soviet minister OF
trade and commerce. in January. the
| most important terms Of which fol-
| low:
Ships in each others harbors shall
receive the treatment usually accord
ed foreign merchant. ships by COM
mercial nations.
With regard to Russian gold ex-
ported from Russia as payment for
imports, the British government does
not concede the soviet claim that such
gold should be regarded as immune
from seizure to pay British claims.
The agreement leaves this as a mat
ter to be settled by ordinary court
procedure.
In the agreement the soviet gov
ernment is termed the government
OF the Russian socialist federal soviet
republic!' -
Both May Trade In Arms.
The governments agree that neither
shall be prevented from regulating
trade in arms and ammunition under
the general provisions of law.
A declaration Of recognition Of
claims. signed by Sir Robert s. Horne,
president of the British board Of
trade and Leonid .Krassin. and ap-
pended to the agreement contains
soviet declaration Of its recognition,
in principle. Of liability to pay COM
pensatfon to private persons who have
supplied goods or given services to
Russia for which they have not been
rewarded.
The declaration concludes that it
is understood this does not imply
that the claims referred to will have
peace treaty which is to be nego-
tiated.
London Press Criticiies.
ment. which requires the sanction Of
the house of commons before 1t cap
become operative. is strongly crit:-
cised by several of the London news
papers. especially the covering let
ter. in which Sir Robert s. Horne tells
tive. that bolshevik agitation in India
must cease forthwith "if the good
served"
Both the Daily Telegraph and the
Morning Post express profound
amusement at the government having
signed the agreement before this
condition was fulfilled.
The Times scornfully speaks Of
the surrender to the soviet" and ian
accommodation with a governemnt Of
bandits. permitting them to sell their
plnnder in this country"
The Daily Mail saws: Bitter disil-
lusiorment awaits those who have
placed hopes in Russian trade. Rus
sia has nothing to export but propa-
ganda."
The Daily Express. the Daily News
ment. although they concur that 1t
will not be an open sesame to inn
mediate prosperity. ~.
The comment Of the sIierald. the
Iaborite organ. is that British labor
has scored great victory,
Krassin's statement:
In. statement given to a., news
papers concerning the AagI russian
trade agreement. M. Kr1SS{n, the
at is obvious that while there is
anv danger Of Russian gold or goods
being seized on their arrival here.
trade cannot be opened up. we will
first settle the question. of ownership.
and arrangements are being made to
bring a test case as speedily as pos
sible. s..
IF the verdict is in favor Of, the
soviet government, trade can begin
forthwith: but II the judgment is
against the soviet an agreement
would be useless unless the British
government should obtain a reversal
of the decision"
NJ. Krassin said in conclusion that
he hoped for full recognition Of the
soviet government and friendly reia-
tionship between the peoples Of Eng
land and Russia.
ImpracticabIe, Says Paris.
PARIS. March 16.-The Anglo Rus
sian trade agreement signed in Lon.
don is regarded in French official cir
cIes as impracticable, but sort of
| future investment which will partly
Dlacate the British radical element
| and partly. enable, Great Britain to
have the first opportunity for trade
| when Russia becomes stabilized.