The Washington herald., 1921-01-23

BRITISH RULE
SOVIET TRADE
Frances Charge Brings
Heated Reply in
Debate.
SAYS u. S. LOSES
VALUABLE TRADE
Need No Recognition, He
Says-DOes Not Fear
Radicals.

Bitter opposition to the resump-
tion of trade with Russia cropped
out on both sides of the Senate
chamber yesterday in the course
of debate. In the face of the
charge made by Senator Joseph L.
France, of Maryland. that Great
Britain was influencing the policy
of the American State Department
while British merchants were cap
turing the trade of Soviet Russia.
Senators, Republican and Demo-
cratic, announced that to resume
trade with Russia without restric-
tions would only open the doors to
flow of immigration made up
largely of Soviet propagandists.
Senator France was bitterly at
tackled as well by Senator Joseph
T. Robinson, of Arkansas. for his
statement that the Department of
Justice had committed crimes if
not murders" in its activities dur
ing the anti-Red crusade.
The debate started during a
speech on American relations by
Senator William II. King, of Utah,
in which he said that he was alb
solutcly opposed to any such nego-
tiations as would lead to recog-
milton.
Does Not Mean Recognition.
Trade with Russia" said Senator
France, does not mean the recog-
milton of the Soviet government"
One leads to the other" replied
Senator King.
AS a matter of fact" said
France, 1T would probably mean
that our people would have a
chance to trade with the Russian
people without making necessary
any recognition of the Soviet gov
ernment."
do you want to go into business
relations with the Russian Soviet
government" asked Senator Miles
Poindexter. of Washington. s.s.s-
No. 1 do not" replied senator
France. Great Britain wants the
Russian market and is leaving no
stone unturned to obtain it and is
formulating a policy that will ex-
clude other nations from that mar
ket.
"If the Senator" interrupted SEN
ator Moses, can substantiate the
charge that Great Britain exerts
any influence as to our policy in
regard to Russia 1 hope he will
do so, if not in open Senate, be-
fore the proper committee
Russian Gold In England.
"A witness" answered France,
will appear before the Committee
on Foreign Relations next Tuesday
and may make a statement to the
effect that while British newspapers
print articles about the horrors OF
Bolshevism, British merchants al
the same time are working out IN
detail trade plans, and that Russia
is now shipping gold to England
and England goods to Russia.
But that is an entirely different
matter" said Senator Moses, from
the charge that the Senator makes
that the British government Is In
fiuencing the policy of the govern
ment of the United States. What
British newspapers are doing, what
British merchants are doing does
not necessarily bring the policy OF
the British government in contact
or influence with the policy OF the
United States government. l can
not concur in this proposition OF our
government opening up trade rela-
tions with Soviet Russia. If this Is
permitted we will also have to ad-
init great numbers of Russians to
this country, Soviet propagandists,
who will come to the United States
and spread this propaganda, a prop
aganda more dangerous to the Unit
ed States than any l have ever
known"
Not Afraid of Radical Ideas
We have always some commu-
nists and some anarchists in tse
United States" said Senator France,
and 1 am not one of those who is
afraid that the United States can
be overthrown by a few theoretical
communists or anarchists from
Russia. There is nothing aati-
British in my system. + admire the
courage and the enterprise of the
British people, and 1 want our gov
ernment to advance the interests of
our citizens with the same skill
that the British government ad-
NdnCeS the IulSEeSlS OI us ClllSenS.
Senator France said that he had
confidential Information as to the
conduct of affairs in the Department
of Justice which made him wish
that the investigation of the de-
partment proposed by him could be
carried on.
Il am not holding that the Attor-
ney General is responsible for all
of the evils or for all of the crimes" )"
he said, because crimes were COM
mitted by the agents of the De-
partment of Justice, crimes, IL not
murders, 1 will say, but 1 do hope
that such conditions will never pre-
vail in this country again. Such
conditions as have prevailed here
have never prevailed in any other
except, perhaps, in Russia under the
worst days of the, Gar"
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