The Cordova daily times., 1921-04-09
ANGLo-RUSslAN AGREEMENT

Some surprise may be felt at the signing of the trade agreements be- tween Great Britain and the govern ment of the Russian Socialist Federal rebellion would have sufficied as an excuse for further postponement. The conclusion at the present time of an arrangement which has long been under discussion may be taken to show that the British government does not believe the stability of the present regime in Russia to be threat ened by the early reyolts. It also suggests that the exaggerated re- ports of anti-Bolsheviki risings were in part propaganda timed with a view to heading off the agreement which has now been signed.
 It's consummation gives additional interest to the arrival in this country of the British agent, Sir Paul Dyke, who won much distinction by his service in Soviet Russia, with the message that if the revolt failed com mercial arrangements with Russia would soon be made and that in his opinion the United States in that case should not hold aloof. His view, which seems closely similar to that of Lloyd George, is that Russia will be quickly and efficaciously purged of Bolshevism through the ciyilizing in- fluences of foreign commerce.
 The British government, however, seems to have been influenced mainly by two considerations, the needs of new outlets for trade, @ point on which the ministry has put stress, and the danger to which the British empire is exposed through hostile Bolshevik propaganda in Asia. By agreement signed recently each gov ernment promises to refrain from hostile action or propaganda outside it's own borders against the others in stitutions; specific reference is made to Asia Minor, Persia, Afghanistan and India, the points of special dan ger.
 It has sometimes been suspected that this was the sole consideration of importance to England, the quest for Russian trade being only a bluff, but this is probably an eXaggeration. The volume of trade may at first be insignificant because of Russia's in- ability to pay for what it wants, but 6 beginning has to be made some time, and the earlier it is made the earlier can an important development of trade be expected. A great British firm has taken a contract for re- pairing large part of the disabled locomotive engines in Russia, and the execution of this should in itself do much to make possible an increased flow of commerce. But on this side the matter is cOnfessedly to a great extent speculative; the future Ci trade with Russia depends chiefly on whether peace or civil war is to pre- vail there. The respect for peace seems to be somewhat improved both by what is essentially a peace treaty with England and by the forecast that the treaty between Russia and Poland will be signed almost imme- diately.
 How the Anglo-Russian agreement will be taken at Paris is still to be seen, but Lloyd George has conceded so much to Briand both in respect to the treaty of Sevres and in respect to the German indemnity that France may in turn feel constrained to yield something in regard to Russia. It is almost the first of Lloyd Georges in- ternational policies which he has been able to put over," and the road to it's attainment has been long and tortuous. His final success at one point suggests that he may yet reach other goals which he seeks by devious roads.