Evening star., 1921-11-14
Editorial Digest
Russia's. Bid for Recognition.

The offer Of the soviet government.
which. as quoted by the Chicago News
(indspendent), is ito acknowledge
the old czarist debts contracted before
ls14, to make q binding agreement
toward paying them OF within GER
tain period and to negotiate at con-
ference an economic accord between
soviet Russia and the powers that
are willing and able to promote the
economic rehabilitation Of Russia for
is Interpreted in most American
papers as a frantic effort to secure a
life line that will save tile bolshevik
administration. Not only are the
willingness and ability of Russia to
but the singleness Of purpose in max,
Ing the offer is matter Of grave
doubt. many writer's regarding it as
merely a bribe, an effort Ito buy Tor
cash." as the Detroit Free Press On
the nations which they are not Will
ing to grant upon the merits Of the
Russian case" A minority opinion.
however. holds that whatever the
ofrer, it should be seriously consid-
cred by the powers to which II Is
made
The appeal is momentous," the
Chicago Tribune tindependent repuD.
| basis it offers for new relations with
Russia" but because OF "the evidence
it gives that the bolshevik tyranny is
nearing IFS end" The proposal. as
the Providence Journal (indepenenD
part Of .Lenin and Trotsky to
Strengthen their tottering structure
Of despotism." and. the Boston Tran
script tindependent republican! adds
TO prevent its VT, nttsr ,at coiiaps ,neve "cre-
atss. little enthusiasm abroad. the
New Orleans Times Picayune undeo
pendent democratic) believes is due TO
; the feeling that "soviet recognition
Of Russiss " would nareexsr be only sus. ses.
gests to the Harrisburg TELEGRAPH
| 1rcpublicaND 4 proposal ito pay 50
| per cent Of debt in return for !.
rseeip. n full" +, "Rseognftion lasssS t. s,sSl q.
! owy concession" the New York Post
.ssnerousiy offers" for the sub
| stanoe" Of recognition of the bolshe-
visit government. ,,..
| the payment Of the debt" scarcely
goes far enough to meet the situa-
ton. the Springfield (Mo.)> Leader
! (democratic) points out. and II is
| quite likely that the nations ad-
| dressed will require guarantees OF
more substantial nature. and, the
Sioux CITY Journal (republican) adds.
the entire difficulty 'lies in trusting
| them" Responsible nations ARE ASK
! ed to give something immediate. tan
gible and Of great value. the Moplie
Register tdemocrat:el says. and & 10
stantial than the promise of q gov
ernment that in the recent past re-
pudiated all idea Of being under obli-
{; CATION to anybody for anything.
! However, the Columbus tOhtol Dis
necessary to impeach Lenin.s lnten-
| tions" in order to show that "kussia
outside debt will never be paid by
regime which has made OF her IN
l ternal affairs the most stupendouS
ruin in the worlds financial history; D..
| asks the Elmira Star Gazette in-
dependent). what nation is going to
take soviet paper rubles in payment
| Of the debt?'
But here another element enters
Soviet leaders "have gone a long wa!
of late in abandoning their bolshe-
vik vagaries," the Newark News dn-
I dependent) notes, land 1t now look s
as II they were ready to go q good
deal further" particularly If. as the
New York World (democrs be-
lieves. their latest move can be inter.
preted as another step In the gradual
| Transformation Of the government
from its commun1stic theories to a
bourgeois state" Doubtless Russia
| is "as poor as 4 church mouse at this
time," the Birmingham News demo
cratic) comedies. ''but her very eco
noInic extremity seems to have
brought her to the rule Of reason
and in the opinion Of the paper 1t
| wills perhaps ,"be we!ls worth while:
! for the sake Of the resumption of
world trade. that the soviet govern
ment be heard at least in some inter
national concIave." for "if the boil
; shevist powers are willing to advance
an inch toward a feeling of responsi-
b,lity for the debt incurred by the
government it succeeded. they may be
| induced to come an ELL" The Chi
cago News Gndependent also feels
that "the conference proposed by the