The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-23
RUSS CLAIMS
FINE PUZZLE
If Claims Are Made in
Terms Of Soviet Rubles
Goodnight

J. EBy A~sspelated Prassl.

NEkN A&1HAEAAt6u 4kHH9l 10.
MOSCOW ian. %. ~ Bolshevik
delegates n the Genoa conference
win present r~eparation claims there
against various European powers
and tic United States. If these
claims are made in terms Of Boil.
aheviis rubles, no names for large
amounts may DO necessary, for the
familiar terms Of the decimal sys-
tenn win not cover the staggering
sums cIained By this country.
which issues single bills for ono
hundred million rubles and dis.
cusses deficits OF trillions Of ru
bies ~ mere bagateles.
Lsniod Krassing Maxim LitvinoR,
". Ralsowshy and scores OF other
cotnfn1nist leaders, who probably
wiz 80 70 Genoa and jlggle figures
with The same Indifference that a
~profcssor shows while tossing
WEIGHTS about a stage.
THE Versailles conference mus.
tered no such brigades OF experts
as the Moscow government called
into service months ago and has
been training for the communist at.
eek upon capitalistic fortress ut
Genoa Every possible brand Of
political, social, historical and eco.
nomic expert has been drafted, and
Russia has q variety Of them.
which has never been dreamed OF
by the western world.
Foreign debts owed by Russia,
and the claims Of other countries
against the soviet will be as moth.
ing when compared with the
amounts that Moscow has chalked
up against England, France and
America. The Alabama claims,
upon which the United States was
successful after the Civil war, form
the chief precedent upon which the
soviet will present it's claims.
Reams Of discounts will be present
ed 10 showsthe responsibility of tho
great powers for the damage SUI.
feted by Russia, as a result OF the
GzechoSlayoka advance In the i'll
fated movement the Archangle ex.
petition; General Denekdne's sweep
northward from the Caucausas,
General Baron Wrangle's crimean
expedition, General Yudenitsch's
finsco In the Balkan states, and
hundreds OF smaller expeditions.
Demands resulting from the up.
rising in Karelia will be charged
to the Joint account Of Finland and
the entente powers. Japan will be
debited for the White Russian
movement now proceeding against
the fur eastern republic. General
Makno and scores OF other bandit
lenders In Ukraine will be dragged
into the accounting with Poland.
and Ftance. General Semenoft,
Generl MISUNDERSTANDING, lead.
efs III fighting that has taken PLACES
in the far east, will be revived,
with other Forgotten leaders num-.
bertng In the hundreds.
AS western imagination cannot
comprehend the figures represent.
ed by Bolshevik money, It seems
probable Moscow will make her
claims IN gold rubles, the hated
currency upon which the commun-
ist government Is basing its budget
In the effort to return to the, old
onomicsp policy.
AT ftrstbthere was a disposition
ofmakeg claims for all damage,done
TO property in the various move.
ments against the soviet govern.
rient swell as for lives sacrificed
and indirect damage to business
tho prestige OF the government ani
the business losses resulting from
the blockade. There was a report
AZ one time that the total amounts
To nearly on hundred billion gold
ruhies, but there are indications
that another policy may be follow.
cd because of the difficulties al.
ways met In international courts
when attempts are made to prove
Indirect damages.
At any rate the Bolshevik bill
against the outside world will
doubtless far over balance all pos.
sibie claims the outside powers
may present on behalf Of thet-
goyernments.