Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-23
COMMON SENSE ABOUT RUSSIA

IN THE presence of the obvious, Herbert
HoOvers courage continues to be re-
freshing. From the secretary of commerce
comes a statement concerning trade with
Russia that is 50 plain and simple. in
accord with what are. at least in theory,
the ordinary dictates of common sense. that
the most amateurish economist should long
ago have grasped them.
But the public acquired during the war
and its aftermath taste for mysteries. One
must be a privileged character 10 be re-
ceived as a spokesman for the common
place. And even when a Herbert Hoover.
commanding respect on record Of solid
achievement. appears. the tendency is to
seek for the cryptic in what is essentially
plain and self-evident. In way this is
fortunate for Mr.. Hoover. for thereby he
gains a hearing even when he is merely re-
stating what any one Of us should have
gumption enough to discover for ourselves
The gist Of his review of the Russian trade
situation is that healthy economic relations
are impossible unless Muscovy has something
to exchange with us. As that country is
without many Of the bare necessities for
itself and production is al a standstill, there
is nothing left to barter except the contiS-
Gated stores of gold. platinum and jewels,
title to which is seriously couded.
When this bargaining material j. cx
hausted-'this parcel of gold, Mr.. Hoover
calls t-ecOnomic stability will be exclu-
Sively dependent on the return of industrial
and agricultural production. Such a re.
sumption is forescen as impossible under the
Bolshevist regime.
The general position taken in Mr.. Hoover's
bulletin is thar of the Department Of State
under Mr.. Colby. Mr.. Hughes has said
nothing on the subject. but it is inconceiv
able that his present view should differ from
that of fellow cabinet officer who has so
fully and convincngIy explained the case.
Great Britain, however has negotiated a
trade agreement with the Soviet Government,
and tales are abroad that Lenine fears to
have become respectable" and that the
Communist system is breaking up. Exactly
what this means il. nevertheless uncOn-
vinringly described. II is easier to see in
Mr. Lloyd Georges sudden professions OF
economic friendship a strategic political
move to placaic radical interests in England
than the prospects of large scale and per-
manrnt trade awakening.
International business i no more sta
biiz"d by agreements On paper than gov
crnm"ntS are necessarily fortified by formal
constitutions. There must be substance be-
hind each Of such proceedings. Until pro
durtnn on thc normal economic basis is re-
stored in Russia the development of trade
with that nation is a mere fantasy.
Mr. Hoover. moreover, demoi,hcs the
illusion that the alleged blockad" i the cause
Of the Russian failure TO submit anything
in exchange save gold and platinum. rated
in sonic quarters as stolen goods. There
has been he declares. mo prohibition on
trade for a long time far a. the inter-
chang" Of commodities is concerned Trade
/. open in the Baltic states and Italy has
been trading in the south Yet the i'm.
ports from an impoverished nation erected
on a false economic basis have been negli-
gib,".
Chaacteristically Hoovcri>h practical.
plain. axi0matir is the implication in his
statement that American fcars Of other ma
tionn supcrS"ding us in thc competition for
trad" with Russia may b" dismissed until
som" prospects of revived production are
discrrnibie. \ condition precedent to the
industrial revival is the overthrow Of com.
munsnl. aud this cannot be brought about
b5 II few vague and smiling phrases from
Nicolai Lenine.
This, Of course, is merely the strictly COM
urrcial view Of II case and distinct from its
significant moral aspects. Mr.. Hoover does
not enter extensively into these. bat his
rcpugnanc" 10 tine quack economic system in
Nogu" in Russia is as clear aS his iuvgorat-
iugly lucid business sense.