Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-06-21
TRADE WITH RUSSIA
REALLY BEGINNING
Ships for Soviet Seaports
Leave StockhoIm-Lenin
Takes Hand to Aid.
BY HAL O,FLAHERTY.

By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1921.
| STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 90
4; Trade with Russia, that magnet which
has drawn business men from every
| part of the world to the seaports near
| the borders Of Russia, is now actually
| under way.
Nearly two years have elapsed since
NJ. Litvinov first opened his parleys
| with Capt. James OGrady. NJ. p, to
bring about the commercial relations
which are now just showing signs OF
| life. Heavy freights are moving
eastward, involving real money. and
! not shyster paper. and cargoes or
hides, fax and hemp are arriving in
German and Danish ports, and space
Is being chartered to carry forthcom-
ing shipments from Copenhagen and
Stettin.
Boats Leave Stockholm.
Two boats loaded with material for
Russia have left Stockholm. One car
ried 200 tons of lead and telephone
material. and the other carried 1876
sheets and motors. These cargoes
alone are estimated to be worth near
ly 100000 kroner (normally $685.
000). The heaviest shipments for
Russia are leaving German ports,
where. owing to the shortage of boats,
the Germans use steel barges, lowed
by small tugs.
Although the shipments from Russia
| are still insignificant. many signs
point to unusual activity in Moscow.
The Russian economic council has re-
quested the former owners of big
wool factories in kuprianov and Jela-
gin to resume charge. with the right
to dismiss the workmen now en-
ployed and engage others. Similar
offers have been made to other man.
ufacturerS.
Foreseeing the necessity Of closer
! commercial communication with the
western powers. Lenin has ordered
that beginning Immediately, tele-
graphic communication be established
| with all the border states and that
regular commercial traffic be resumed
to enable dealers to consummate
quick sales. AS soon as the private
owners get back into the Russian
factories they will begin ordering
will react Immediately upon buying
, in Scandinavia and Germany.
, Graft Still Prevails.
| These indications of a revival of
| trade with Russia are pleasant to the
| men who have been waiting patiently
| in every Baltic port for more than
two years. Those. however, who hoped
! tne RUSSIAN business never "OuiQ go
back to the old, graft methods are
! sorely disappointed. Practically every
! deal put through for the soviet gov
eminent has been done through half
a dozen Intermediates. all of whom
| must be CREASED
| Just at present Reval is the center
| for Russian business. Dozens of mid
| dlemen are engaged there in opening
| bids for all kinds Of products. but no
| offer finds favor unles it goes
! through the proper channel. with ac-
| companying agreements for commits
! sions. The men representing Ameri-
can and British houses estimate that
| Is per cent of the total amount paid
on every sale goes to the "fixers."
| Briefly, Russian business is done on
the same old plan. with all palms
! turned up for share Of the profits.
| To the credit of the soviet leaders. it
| can be said that they are doing every
| thing possible to rid themselves of
| the evil. but they cannot change the
Russian temperament. They recalled
| two members of the trade commission
! in Reval. one of whom paid the death
| penalty on crossing the frontier, and
the other is in jail. along with sew
| eral Esthonian middlemen who be-
came involved in graft.
| The opulence OF the Russian trade
! commissioners in Sweden and Dem
mark indicates that they have profited
| by their opportunities.