Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-15
TRADE WITH RUSSIA
MAY SOON REOPEN.
Ex-Governor Goodrich Believed
to Be Making Investigation
of Soviet Conditions
US. AND EUROPE, RIVALS
by CLINTON w, GILBERT

stan Correspondent Evening Public Ledger
Copvrt0ht. 1922. by Public Ledger Com pany
Washington, March 15.-1he re-
sumption of trade rclatiQns with Rus
sia is apparently being brought much
nearer b. recent developments. such as
! the activities Of the SHINES grouu of
Germans In Russia. the recent ncgo-
tiatiOns between the Russians and the
French, and the prospects that the
Genoa Conference will bring about some
understanding between Russia and tho
rest of Europe.
In addition, the Soviet Government,
according to reports here. has already
taken some steps which 1t Is believed
tend to meet the conditions laid down
BY the State Department for the re.
sumption of trade.
In the note Of March % one year
ago Mr.. Hughes said that ''production
Is conditioned upon the safety of life.
the recognition of firm guarantees of
private property, the security of con-
tract and the rights of free labor. II
fundamental changes are contemplated,
involving due regard for the protection
of persons and property and the estnb-
lishment Of conditions essential to the
maintenance of commerce, this Govern.
ment will be glad to have convincing
evidence Of the contamination Of such
changes"
Courts Again at Work
1t is difficult TO say what the State
Department would regard as ''con-
here that the establishment of gov
ernment by law administered through
regular courts instead of revolutionary
tribunals would be an evidence, If the
laws contained the same safeguards Of
the person and property usually afforded
by civilized nations.
Now the Government of Russia has,
according to the dispatches, recently
adopted n civil and criminal code ami
set the courts to work.
1t is believed here that ex Governor
Goodrich, who Is now on his way to
Russia as Secretary Hoover's agent,
will come back here shortly with the new
Russian code and with report upon
the way the regular courts are func.
tioning.
1t has transpired that Mr.. Good.
rich, who nomnally goes to Russia t.
supervise Russian relief work, will make
but q brief visit. returning here in n
few weeks. 1t is believed therefore that
his mission in Russia has more to do
with trade relations than with food dis
tribition.
Mr.. Goodrich will arrive in Russia
just about the time the Genoa con.
ference begins it's sessions. and in view
Of the anxiety over Russia which Mr..
Hughes note, declining the Genoa in
vitatiOn, revealed. it seems probable
that the purpose Of his visit Is to cOun-
tcract in some way the influence of the
Genoa meeting and to indicate to Rus
sia that she need not pin all her hopes
of capital and trade restoration upon
what the European governments do
there.
AS already indicated in this corre-
SpOndence one purpose Of Mr.. Goodrich
Is to urge the Soviet Government not
to grant mOnopolies and exclusive con-
cessions, but to keep the economic con-
velOpment of Russia open to all nations
upon an equal footing.
But apparently more than nearly
negative representations will be made.
May Be Competition
Whether the code adopted by Russia
and the court system will be sufficient
to satisfy the officials here is, of course,
not yet known, and whether the Soviet
Government will grant further conces-
sions no one can guess.
If France has reached some sort of
understanding in the recent negotia-
tions with Radek and will agree with
England and Germany about the policy
to be adopted at Genoa, Russia will
have Europe bidding against the United
States regarding terms for her develop
ment. Thia country has the advantage
of more capital to offer. Europe has the
advantage of better markets since she
can use. Russia's raw materials and
since rates of exchange in Europe are
more favorable to Russia than in the
United States.
But whatever happens, 1t seems Ger.
brought into closer trade relations with
a large part of or with all the rest of the