Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-20
Wednesday, April 20, 1921.
HUGHES VERSUS VANDERBILT

to Samuel Gompers, asking on be-
half of the A. F. of L. for statement
of facts respecting Russia, and this
reply appears in the press reports on
the same day as an article by Wash
ington b. Vanderlip. A comparison
between these is well worth while.
The former, it is fair to assume is
conservative statement of facts
known to our state department,
which has facilities for gathering
and verifying them.
Among the facts" so collected and
made public is that Russia is "a
gigantic economic vacuum" with no
likelihood of that condition being re-
lieved so long as the present system
of government continues. He finds
that "the Russian people are unable
to obtain credit which otherwise
might be based on the vast potential
wealth Of Russia and are compelled
to be deprived Of commodities i'm
mediately necessary for consump-
ton"
This conveys an impression dia-
metrically opposed to the propaganda
which is being put out by the Lenin
and Trotzky regime. Russia is not
teeming with products awaiting buy
ers:, her distress is not due to any
restraint we have placed on her
trade. She is not now blockaded,
there have been no restrictions on
direct trade between people Of this
country and Russia since July 8,
1920, and no restrictions on financial
transactions since last December,
and out of the orders for six and a
half billion dollars worth of mer-
ehandise which her agents have
placed very little has been shipped
because there was not money or
credit to give in exchange.
Now for Mr.. Vanderlip, who from
his own statement appears to be the
head Of a syndicate authorized by
the Lenin government to place three
billion dollars worth of orders for
American goods. AS a quid pro quo
it furthermore appears that Wander
lips syndicate has received through
the influence of Lenin, himself, val
liable concessions in Kamchatka,
al, IL
be used as basis for issues of stock
to be sold.
1t would appear that If the VAN
derlip syndicate succeeds in acquir-
ing for the Lenin & Trotzky oil
garchy three billion dollars worth
of merchandise it would have earned
whatever concessions it may secure
in kamchatka. 1t does not appear,
however, that those concessions can
possess much assured value. The oil
may be there; we know the furs and
fish may be found there, but who
owns them or will own them not
withstanding bolshevik concessions?
Does the Vanderlip syndicate expect
this country to support it's contention
If contention arises as it is pretty
sure to do?
Look at the map and you will find
kamchatka opposite Alaska and
north of Japan, a peninsular jutting
out from Siberia. Having concluded
the rape of Russia Lenin & Trotzky
have found some of her valuables
difficult to handle. The territory
comprised in this peninsula may
well have been found of that kind
Japan might very naturally covet
those wonderful resources, even
though they be no more wonderful
than described by the encyclopedias.
which make no mention of oil
among the resources In that event
1t would be no easy undertaking to
defend it. Then comes the ubiouit-
Gus Mr.. Vanderlip and Lenin asks
him when America is to have it's
revolution and Mr.. vanderlip very
promptly-as he himself tells us
retorts, mot in ten thousand years.
And any Russian you send over there
to make another revolution will be
hanged to the nearest lamp post"
1t may then have occurred to Lenin
that he could make trouble for the
United States without trying to
raise revolution over here. His
efforts in that line had not proved
very effectual. Hence the Kamachat-
kan concessions. Quod erat demon
strandum, or words to that effect.
And by the way, Mr.. Vanderlip is the
only recent authority who has a good
word to say for present conditions
in Russia. We hope the concessions
haven't rose-colored his vision.
We do not find in what Secretary
Hughes has to say anything to indi-
cate that this administration would
assume any obligations to guarantee
the Vanderlip Syndicate possession
Of any part of Kamchatka. If we
had found such evidence the conclu-