Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-07-11
FORECASTS PROMISE BIGGER
CROPS Than PAST FIVE YEARS
SOVIET ECONOMIC
EXPERT HOLDS EAR
HAGUE DELEGATES

The Hague, July 1o-(By A. Ply
The stock Of the Russian conference
was pretty low before today's meeting
on the strength of rumors, which no.
body could trace, that the conference
was certain to collapse at today's ses-
sion, but, far from breaking up, the
delegates had what they later termed
a Successful and constructive meet
ing"
Leonid Krassin. the Soviet economic
expert, gave such frank answers to
the powers questions concerning the
use of credits that even the French
representative, who was alleged to be
ready to withdraw from the confer
ence, arose and warmly thanked NJ.
krassin for the clear and logical ma
ture of his exposition
The fact thac today's session lasted
five hours and then temporarily ad-
Journed to permit the English and
French delegates to dispatch tele-
grams to London and Paris, gave
ports.
NJ. krassin's statement was in an
Swer to a series of questions put by
the European reports concerning cred
its for transport and agriculture. Re
explained thl- Prussia wanted credits
to repair such i",!roads as would take
care of about half of the transport
carried on before the war. In genera l.,
he said, Russ:a vas not prepared to ac-
cord concessions for existing railways
but was ready 10 grant concessions TOR
the construction Of new lines, but
trunk lines lust remain in the hands
of the government.
For agricIlt lral purposes. the gov
eminent was ready. he said. to "rant
concessions aggregatng 100000 hec-
tares. 1t was already in negotiate.
with foreign companies and some four
| agreements were practically compile: ed,
O for 100000 hectares. The lura-
ton of the concession, he said. would
be % years. ana the land which it :. as
proposed to concede was fertile and
near. the coast, so as to make trans
port by sea easy.
With regard to foreign trade, Mr.
Krassin declared that for the present
he could not admit the resumption Of
absolute free trade with foreign coun-
tries. rs he WAS bound to protect his
country. which is suffering from depre-
ciated exchange This did not mean
that the state must control absolutely
all foreign credit. ne continued.
They had centralized the system of
purchases in foreign countries, there
by gaining in prices and quality, and
they had adopted the method of CEN
tralization for the sales Of exports.
He could not change this system until
the relations with foreign countries
became normal, but meantime there
was nothing to prevent foreign capital
from participating in mixed societies
representing Russia abroad.
The new customs tariff, continued
NJ. Kra ssin, was based on the same
principle which existed before the war
,, and before the revolution and figures
were about the same. Asked if con-
cessions for maritime transport were
possible. NJ. Krassin replied that the
socNCl llllcIlI NdS etllAlOuS W dllTdCI
foreign capital for this purpose and he
believed that concessions were pos
sible both for maritime river trans
port, on the system Of mixed societies
with the Russian government as a
partner or with the concessionaire
paying a percentage on the goods
transported.
Russia needs a vast quantity of
transport material such as locomo-
tives. cars, rails, bridges, telephones,
telegraphs, machinery, spare parts
and steel. For river transport she re-
quires boats, especially for oil and
spare parts for existing ship work
shops. Russia proposed to inaugurate
a motor transport service from the
chief railway centers to facilitate the
transport of raw material, cereals and
timber. Agricultural credits were
needed for irrigation drainage, seeds
and machinery. which last it. for the
present, most urgent necessity.
1t was also necessary, he contin-
ued, to create a system Of elevators
and refrigerators like those in the
United States and Canada in order
to facilitate the export of grain and
coal storage. Wagons aare greatly
needed in Siberia.