Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-05-17
<HOSE European statesmen and
economists who are unable to
understand the American at

understand the American at
titude with respect to the re-
Mobilization of Russia will find 1t ex-
planned fully and completely in a SEN
tence Of thirteen words in an address
delivered by Herbert Hoover before
members of the Chamber Of Commerce
Of the United States. 1--WE WISH" said
Secretary Hoover, ito find founda-
tions in realism for assistance to the
Russian people,"
That is all there is to the American
attitude--a wish to find foundations
in realism. The difficulty with Euro
pean craftsmanship in dealing with
Ing to find way to accept as real
things which are merely fantastic,
and the statesmen are quarreling
| among themselves for advantage in
obtaining something which does not.
the thing being Russian trade.
Even some Americans have been de-
| luded into eager desire to chase this
will-'o- the-wisp, and have lamented
loudly that a great opportunity was
being let slip by. Mr.. Hoover pune
| lures that bubble most effectively.
When Russia was running full blast
| previous to the war;" he said. ''she
took l per cent of the exports Of the
United States, which. when reduced
\ into terms of working time Of our
Eorkmen and farmers. meant roughly
the employment of say 10000 Amert-
cans. We are not, therefore, nor ever
will be dependent upon Russia for the
physical welfare of our people"
| II Russian trade meant SO little to
| this country in the days Of her pros
| perity before the war. when she was
| among the most Industrious and
| thrifty of nations. what can it mean
| today. when Russia Is bankrupt, her
people Idle and hopeless and with the
| ruole. which had pre-war value Of
| now requires four millions Of them to
equal a single American dollar?
| Russia has no productivity" Mr..
Hoover told his hearers; her fac
tories and mines, even where founded
| on Russian raw material and repairs,
are producing but from 2 to rs per
| cent; her railways are transporting
! less than z per cent Of their pre-war
capacity; her agricultural production
| Is below her own needs, instead Of the
great normal surplus; she has eaten
up her entire fat, and can have for a
| long time nothing to exchange for the
services of our workmen or the saw
| ings Of our investors. Therefore. II
we would supply work. capital and
talent to the reconstruction Of produce
tivity in Russia they must be given
upon credit or charity"
+ + X X
And Mr.. Hoover makes 1t clear that
| there must be a sharp distinction be-
\ tween helping Russia on a business
basis and upon the basis Of charity.
| Ha calls attention to the fact that
| when it comes to charity the Ame4i-
can people already have shown their
sympathy and desire to help by ex-
| pending more than $50.00O,0 900 on saw
ing the Russian people from starva-
ton and in providing seed for the
| next harvest, which is many times as
much as the charitable contributions
Of all the rest Of the world combined.
ThUsa Russians who charged at Genoa
| that recognition Of the soviet govern
! ment was withheld because OF a sell
| hsh desire on our part to protect
American investments in Russia are
gifts to them in the form of charity
| probably exceed the total Of all such
! American investments.
But charity will not reconstruct
Russia and make her self-sustaining.
! At best it is only temporary. Ameri-
can charity has kept alive ten million
Russians who otherwise would have
persisted. but 1t cannot rebuild that
which has been destroyed and restore
Russia to productivity. That calls for
capital and labor and their production
on a vast scale. and they can be pro-
| vided only on basis of sound bust
! ness, not Of free will offerings.
Russia, Mr.. Hoover emphasizes, was
destroyed from within. not from with.
| out, and the means Of reconstruction