New-York tribune., 1922-04-09
Russia
liz the Red Shtld0av

his vineyards. II was the narrow
coast line and the long, hard haul that
retarded the creation OF transporta-
tion agencies and kept the market OF
central Russia local rather than an
international market.
These conditions are intensified by
climatic conditions. Aside from ports
IN the Caucasus, which are only Of
local use, there are in Greater Russia
seven ports, Odessa. Novorossisk, Re
val, Riga, Murmansk. Archnnge and
Pesrograd. OF thesc ports four are
in the frost zone. During several
months OF the year they are cut ,if
absolutely or arc available only by
| the use Of ice-breakers
The ports Of Riga, Reval, Petrograd
, and Archangel lie from one thousand
points they may be destined to serve
The market Of Russia is bottle with
two necks, one Of which, and the mos.
important from the viewpoint Of
world shipping. is closed for four
months Of the year To understand
the position that Russia is in We should
have to imagine the United States to
be open to world commerce only at
New York harbor and at Galveston,
and that New York harbor was closed
for considerable portion Of each ycsr.
Five Ports Taken From
Russian Sovereignty
But we have not yet como to 1ru
chief diSquslifying feature Of the port
system OF Russia from the point Of
view of present conditions. OF the
five ports mentioned above as belong
ing to the northern bottle neck, two
now have been removed from Russian
sovereignty. Riga is in the independ-
ent state Of Latvis Reval is in the
independent state Of Esthonia. Like
wise, the ports OF Hclsingfors. in Fir
land: Lbau and Mitau, formerly un-
de- Russian dominion, are now under
separate dominion.
Among the great unsolvcd problems
which wait Cor solution once the ma
items Of the world can come to concur
renee on Russia is the problem OF the
integrity Of the Russian domain and
the inviolability OF her coast line and
outlets. On this two schools already
find themselves in opposition, the
school that would carve spheres of in
fuence out OF Russia and the school
that would await developments and
maintain Russian integrity.
few weeks ago I was in the office
Of the Minister of transportation of
the new Polish government in the city
Of Warsaw. Before US on the wall was
a map Of Poland as it was under the
Russian regime. The minister was
pointing out to me five lines Of rail
ways. running from extreme southeast
TO extreme northeast and convcroine
on Warsaw.
at would seem that Warsaw vas
we'll supplied with railroads" I said.
AS a military stronghold. yes" the
munster answered, and he showed me
that these lines served military pur-
poses primarily; that they ignored eco
over the great area north and south
OF Warsaw and showed that Of north
and south lines this area had far too
few. or these there was no demand Tor
military purposes. And he explained
that this was one OF the great tasks
before the government of Poland the
creation Of lines Of communication
based on economic and not military
plans.
From Warsaw 7 went out at different
times IN two directions on the high
roads By automobile. wanted TO get
the feel Of the contacts between Russia
and western Europe. The high roads
TO the northeast toward Riga and the
high road directly east toward Brest-
Litovsk and Moscow run stra ght as an
eagles fight for scores Of miles. Cen
cratioas Of laborers and soldiers have
put into these roads the stones that
hsve built them high over the sur
rounding country. But they serve only
the distant detectives Of an empire that
was so far away that it had no con-
Germ for the local needs Of the people.
1t is only accidentally that these roads
have an economic use.
have taken these two pictures from
Russian Poland because Poland was
one OF the most dcnsely populated Dor