Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-26
REJECTS SOVIET PLEA
FOR TRADE RELATIONS
Harding Tells Bolsheviki to Put
Own House in Better
Order.

Washington. March 26-The Hard
ing Administration has rejected the pro-
posal Of tho soviet government Of Rus
sla that negotiations be entered into
through n mission 10 be dispatched to
this country for resumption Of trade
relations between tho two countries
Announcement to this effect was
made by Secretary of State Charles
T. Hughes following a two-hour dis
cusslan of an Administration Russian
policy by the Cabinet. The Hughes
statement has been cabled to the Amer
lean Consul at Rcval. to be delivered
TO NJ Litvinon through whom the soviet
delivered the original proposal 70 this
Government
Sufficient evidence Of Russia's regen-
reation has not been received by this
Government to Justify any change from
the general policy of the Wilson Ad-
ministration toward the Bolshcvik re-
gime. Mr.. Hughes very candidly says
as much 10 the Russian people and 10
the world.
But the Secretary has not closed the
door in the face of Russia. lie invites
that nation TO put its house in order,
and when this is accomplished America
Will be ready to talk business with it.
Until evidence of this is received. how
ever, the United States is unable to
perceive any proper basis Tor consider
ing trade relations"
This Government moreover does more
than deal in generalitics. 1t lays down
four concrete conditions which must be
met before America is willing to re-
sumo trade relations with Russia There
must be safety of life. first; there must
be sanctity of contract. second: firm
guarantees of private property next;
| and the right of free labor. finally.
At the outset Mr.. Hughes insists thai
| there is no assurance for the develop
ment of trade between the two coun-
/ tries. Russia would be unable to get
all the supplies she needs III America
or elsewhere as long as the present
| causes of progressive productivity oi
| Russia continue to operate Russia
/ must begin TO produce before her peo
| pie can stand alone again and pro.
duction cannot be assured until the -four
conditions. just outlined, are met.
1t is apparent from yesterdays de
velopments that there is no broad diff
ference of opinion between Mr. Hughe.
and Secretary Hoover regarding Rus
sia. The Harding Cabinet has not spill
on a Russian policy, as had been sug
gested in many quarters few day
| ago. The Hughes statement of yester
day and the Hoover statement OF fou
days ago dealing with Russia are il
substantial accord,
Nor has the Harding Administration
found it desirable at this stage To de
part from the Russian policy of tn
Wilson Administration. except perhap
TO go a little further than Mr. Wilson
and Mr.. Colby went. The former Presi
dent laid down the general proposition
that Russia must establish a govern
ment that would observe the sanctit
of treaties. would be representative q
the great mass of the Russian peopl
and would cease all efforts to destro
orderly governments Of other nations.
President Harding. through his See
retary Of State, says nothing abou
Russia's foreign responsibilities or in
ternational conduct, but insists tina
she abandon the fundamental principle
Of communism by recognizing privat
property the sanctity of contracts an
the rights of free labor