The New York herald., 1921-04-04
Russia Lacks Transport.
Soviet Admission of Inability to Move
Raw Materials.

To THE NEW York HERALD: have
noticed that the editorial discussion of
the Anglo-Russian trade agreement
stresses one point in particular. namely,
that the agreement Is bound to have
negligible results because the Soviet
Government has no raw materials on
hand to exchange. In contradiction TO
this impression should like to quote
for your consideration q passage from
Arthur Ransome's new book, THE Crisis
In Russia" Mr.. Ransome quotes con-
vel sation he had with Alexi Rykoy, pres
ident of the Council of Public Economy.
which bears on this very question:
Considering the question OF the i'm
port Of machinery from abroad. l asked
him whether In existing conditions of
transport Russia was actually In a posi-
ton to export the raw materials with
which alone the Russians could hope
to buy what they want He said:
Actually we have in hand about
100000 poods'-a pood is a little over
thirty-slx English pounds-'of fax and
any quantity OF light leather, goat, &C..
but the main districts where we have
raw materials for ourselves or for ex-
port are far away. Hides, for example.
we have in great quantities In Siberia,
in the districts of Orenburg and the
Ural River and In Tashkent.
Il have myself made the suggestion
that we should offer TO sell this stun
where It is. that is to say, not deliv-
cred at seaport. and that the buyers
should provide their own trains, which
we should eventually buy from them
with the raw material itself. SO that
after a certain number of journeys the
trains should become ours. In the same
districts we have any quantity of wool
md In some OF these districts corn. We
transport. get this corn for ourselves.
"Tn the same way we have great
quantities Of rice In Turkestan. and
actually are being offered rice from
Sweden because we cannot transport
our own. Then we have over a million
Foods of copper ready for export on the
same conditions. But II is clear that II
the Western countries are unable 20
CLIP In the transport they cannot get
raw materials from US
II asked about platinum. He laughed.
THAT Is a different matter. In plat
inum we have n world monopoly and can
consequently afford to wait. Diamonds
and gold, they can have as much az
they want OF such rubbish: but piati-
mum In different and We are In no
hurry 10 part with IT, But diamonds
and gold ornaments. the jewelry OF the
Cars. we are ready TO give to any
king in Europe who fancies them II nc
can give us some less ornamental but
moro useful locomotives Instead
II asked II <olchak had damaged the
platinum mines. lie replied Not at
all. On the contrary, he was promising
platinum 20 everybody who wanted II
and he set the mines going. SO we ar
rived 20 ind them In good condition.
with a considerable yield Of platinum
ready for USE
II am inciinod to think that In spite
Of Rykov's rather intranslgeant attitude
on the question the Russians would none
tho less be willing 10 export platinum.
IL only on account OF the fact IN COM
parison with its great value II requires
little transport. and so would make pos
sIblo for them an immediate bargain
with come OF the machinery they post
urgently need"
1t will be seen from the above that
tie chief need In Russia at present is
for adequate transport. That need seems
about 10 be supplied by the British firms
with which Soviet Russia is negotiating
and also BY Hugo SHINES in Germany.
r. y. BrHnMaN.
NEW YORK, April 2.