Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-14

I hand over the z.o00,0 900 rubies and
you should keep the 100000
francs2
"'That's it, exactly replied M.
Rakovsky. You have got the point.
W. cannot give your money back
because it has been nationalized,
but you can give u money back
because it has not been nationilzed.
If you were to turn communist and
nationalist money and property. we
would not ask you to give it back
I'm the aforementioned address
before the British parliament on
April MI. Lloyd George, explain
ing the conditions on which we can
found peace with the bolsheviki,
said that those are respect for pri-
vate property, respect for the rights
of individuals, fair play for those
who make investments there Tin
Russia), acknowledgment of honor
able debts incurred by people who
put their savings, very often OF a
lifetime, into Russian investments.
The Genoa deliberations show that
the bolsheviki are not ready to
meet these minimum conditions.
As a matter of fact, they are un-
able to meet them, since respect
for private property and for the
rights of individuals would mean
the end of bolshevism in Russia.
Not inclined to what would amount
to suicide on their part. all that the
bolsheviki are ready to concede is
an acknowledgment of Russia's
pre-war debts and, in some form,
her obligations towards foreigners
who suffered material losses from
the bolshevist regime. These boil
shevist concessions are merely
paper concessions, since Russia is
unable to pay for many years to
come and, according to the bolshe-
visit statements, a moratorium for
about 80 years is needed. In ex-
change for these paper concessions,
the bolsheviki want recognition and
a loan of two billion dollars.
1.-THE naivete of the bolshevist
conception, as well as the naivete
of those who believed in the posi-
bility Of practical cooperation
with the bolsheviki, is striking.
The b%olsheviki think that it is
enough for them to concede S to
10 per cent Of their theories and
methods. and the investors in Eu-
rope and America will simply rush
to their aid. A great disappoint-
ment is in store for them. AS long
as there will remain even a shadow
| of bolshevism in Russia, no English
and no American investor will sep
arate himself from his pounds or
dollars, for an investment in Rus
sian enterprises. Investments, and
especially investments amounting
to billions of dollars, go only there
where investment is, or at least
seems to be, 100 per cent safe. 1t
is moi safe in the Russia of Lenine.
Tchicherin and Rakovsky. The
Genoa conference is an eye-opener
in this respect. ever for the most
naive souls and minds.
mo doubts the dire need of the
Russian people for foreign CO.
operation and help. No one will
deny, further, that the Russian peo-
pie, who more than once saved Eu-
ropean civilization during the fatal
years Of 1o14-1o17, are entitled to
all help and consideration possible.
Last but not least, no one will deny
the great necessity of Russia's re-
cuperation for the return to nor
malcy in Europe and On this side
of the ocean. But the plain, hard
fact in the situation is that it is
impossible to substantially help the
Russian people under b%olshevis,
rule. Bolshevism is a barrier be.
tween the Russian people and their
salvation. Inasmuch as the Genoa
conference establishes this main
fact in the Russian situation. i,
paves the way for Europe to accept
the wise and far-sighted American
policy of constructive aloofness 50
long as Russia remains under the
bolshevist regime. AS VIC pointed
out on more than one occasion, the
American policy has already forced
the %bolsheviki to the path of con.
cessions. If Europe joins the
American policy, the bolsheviki
will have to make further. radical
concessions, amounting practically