The New York herald., 1921-01-09
Curse of Bolshevism Ruins
Latvia's Prosperity Chances
Country Where One Literally May Live for Nothing Labors Under
Red Pail That STILES Hope of Future and Makes
the Present a Genuine Nightmare

that, she said that had only paid her 400
rubles, whereupon, unwilling to give the
lie direct to woman who he'd once been
great lady. paid her 100 rubles more.
Thus she made 500 rubles clear profit.
But I did not grudge her this small sum.
In fact, rather pitied her than otherwise.
But am afraid that IL in the days of her
glory a poor soullery maid had been de-
tected stealing a few rubles from her the
vengeance of My Lady would have been
terrible and swift
Germany Rebuilding Trade Machine
With Baltic States as the Basis
Germany is slowly beginning to build up
the great and complicated business machine
through which she might perhaps have en-
shaved the world had her Kaiser not been
so mad as to have made war, and, though
none can object to that machine being re-
erected in Germany itself. there Is a con-
siderable menace to British interests siii its
being erected in the Baltic States.
In the first place, this means the reten-
ton Of the German hold on Latvia, and,
through Latvia, on Russia Though only
5 per cent. of the population Of Latvia, the
Balts ruled this country for several hundred
years through the military support they
received from Russia They would now like
to keep in their hands the financial and
commercial control of the country through
pecuniary support given them by England.
IT England gives such support she must
know perfectly we'll that she u giving 1t to
the Germans, In competition with whom most
of the Balts are working.
The price of German goods in Germany
is lower than it is in any outside country
save Latvia, which Is given favored nation
treatment exactly as n 1t were part Of Ger
many The German Consul here Is par
ticularly able man, thoroughly familiar with
local conditions and intent on restoring Ger
man Trade to its old predominance In the
eastern Baltic. He, has even opened In his
consulate kind Of bank which, by arrange
ment with a bank in Berlin, facilitates Ger
man trade with Latvia.
Banking arrangement Gives
Advantage to the Germans
Under this arrangement a German mer-
chant can have money transferred easily
and quickly from his Berlin to his Riga
account and DICE Der. a. and nothing can pre-
vent a large influx of cheap German goods,
against which British competition will be
difficult. There is less difference between
the mark and the Latvian ruble than there
is between the shilling and the Latvian
ruble; and IL, even before the war. the Bal
tic races found English goods very dear
they must now find them altogether out Of
their reach.
British chemical exporters are accordingly
buying German chemicals and exporting
them to the Baltic States. where they are
sold as British goods. and many other Brit
ish firms are. on the advice Of foreign en-
ployees, following a similar course Among
such employees and, ! am sorry to say
among a good many Of the British also
there is a general cry of I'VE can't keep
Germany out of these countries. We must
give her a free hand"
Some Of them are even in favor OF let
ting Germany have free hand In Russia,
in order to crush Bolshevism. and fail a.
see that such an arrangement would make
Germany stronger than she was before the
war.