Arizona republican., 1921-03-26
Commerce and Sentiment

President Harding will do better to listen to the commercial interests of the country the matter of trading with soviet Russia than to the Civic Federation or the American Defense society Both of these are excellent organizations and have been or great service to the country. but it appears they have stepped somewhat out of their spheres in opposing commercial relation with Russia on what must seem to be purely sentimental grounds
 Commercial contact with foreign nation does not necessarily bring political contact that %; if there were any danger that we might became tmpregnated with the soviet doctrine because such commercial relation that would sufficient argu ment against trading with But in times past have been in close commercial with nations of whose political morals and methods we did not approve. without imbibing any of them The rela- don of nations in trade is very the same as that Of individuals We do not insist individuals that those to whom we sell or those of whom we buy shall be of our of thinking or acting on moral questions. nor do suffer from our contact in this way with people whom we would not invite Into our homes, whose homes would not enter
 There may be reasons. commercial or economic why we should boycott Russia I may not be to our best material interests to trade with that country There may be an industrial reason why should not But there be moral political reason why we should not The admission of Bolshevisrn into this country is not menace s result of commercial relation. We only need to enforce such laws as we may have against it, such other laws as may be necessary and such immigration laws as may be required formal recognition of the soviet government-the only one the Russians to be able to estabsh-would not carry with it our ap- provaI endorsement of sovietism.
 In times past maintained intimate comrner- cial relations with governments steeped in autocracy which later to hate with an intensity deeper than that we feel against sovietism But we never even slightly tainted by autocracy
 We have for many years maintained intimate relation with Japan whose form of government whose social conditions, and whose religion are repugnant to We it with tolerance on political grounds. taking precaution only against menace with which be threatened from Russia the running of our coasts by a non assimiable population
 Against that danger from our contact with Japan we can provide only by rigid immigration laws and treaties. American sentiment alone be helpless against yellow invasion But American sentiment would be sufficient to put down in every community any bolshevist growth as within the last three years.
 We can conceive of possibility of bolshevisrn gaining in any circumstances any foothod anywhere in this country. The activity at it's height the bolshevists imported and parlor never more than irritating-never threatening
 We have been guided too much within the last eight years by sentiment and idealism. We have assumed too responsibility for the political morals of neghbors.
 But if we should make a trade relation with Russia it should be that and nothing more. Ii should in no way a political treaty such as that which Great Britain has concluded with the soviet government