New-York tribune., 1922-05-16
Russia Must
Restore Rights,
Hoover Asserts
&C ,InMcd from pnae ono

would come to her economic assistance
1t is constantly reiterated statement
that here is a vast field for the sale
Of American goods. for the employ
ment Of millions of American workmcn
and for large profits to those straw
men called capitalists. These state
nation as the Bolshevik ruble, which
now stands 100000 to the dollar.
Not Dependent Upon Russia
"Whcn Russia was running full blast
previous to the war she took l per
cent of the exports of the United
States, which when reduced into terms
of working time of our workmen and
farmers. meant roughly the employ
ment Of say 10000 Americans. Wo are
not, therefore, nor ever will be de-.
pendent upon Russia for the physical
welfare Of our people.
And yet. although arguing that
America does not need Russia, the
people of the United States. Mr.. Hoover
pointed out, have done ten times as
much as any other toward Russian re-
lief.
"Wnile Russia" he added, "slowly
swings toward the standards that we
believe are vital to her recovery and
to the point where it is possible to un-
dertake her rebuilding, America has not
been remiss Before the next harvest
the American Relief Administration,
under my direction, will nave expended
more than s5o,000,00) in American
charity on the saving of Russian
people from starvation and in provid-
ing seed for the next harvest. This
operation will perhaps do more than
c,.or 1Yyl1l
through this act of charity have saved
the soul of the Russian people from an
abyss of despair too terrible for hu-
man expression 1t is the visible evil
dcnce Of the sympathy of the American
people and our desire to help.
Confidence Must Be Restored
"To those Russian officials who have
this last week reminded us that our
government in its relations to Russia
was dominated by horrible trusts who
would receive their property it may
be pointed out that the sums we are
spending on charity before the next
harvest probably will exceed the whole
value of American property in Russia
and incidentally will be many times
of all the rest of the world together.
But charity, great as is the idcalism
that America pours forth, is not a solu-
ton.
"But when all is said and done, the
great problem still stands out. Russia
Is slowly dying because the dynamic
forces OF production and foreign conf
dcrcc have not yet been restored. We,
a great Christian people, look with
horror and deepest sympathy upon her
urtold miaories.
a c. Bedford, chairman Of the Stand
ard Oil Company of New Jersey; Ar
thur Balfour, steel maEnate of Shelf
field, England; Basil Miles, the new
American Administrative Commissioner
stationed in Paris at the headquarters
Of the international Chamber of Com
merce; Frederick P. Keppel the retir-
ing comm issioner, and John H. Fahey,
one of the founders Of the 1nterna-
tional Chamber Of Commerce also
spoke.
days meetings dealt with the
nominatlor of new directors and other
irtcrnal organization matters. lmme-
diately after the convention adjourns
the board will elect q president Of the
Chamber Of Commerce of the United
States. Joseph H. Defrees. incumbent,
will retire after having held the Office
for two years. The choice for the new
executive head seems to lie among Mr.,
Bedford, who is now chairman of the
executive committee; William Butter
worth, vice president of the chamber,
and one of the officers of Deere e. Co.,
of Moline. H.. and Ernest Trigg, for
merly president of the Philadelphia
Chamber of Commerce.