Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-12-20
HUGHES AND RUSSIA

tHo icCOIu VI SHdTlcS EVANS F1uSne
that to .his mind a spade is a spade
whatever 1t Tffay seem to his neigh
bors. Did any doubt exist 1t woult
vanish after reading Of the Secre
tary's reply to the Soviet foreign
ministers telegram to Presiden
Coolidge.
Mr.. Hughes sees the evidence tina
the communism of Russia has lons
acted on the belief that the de.
struction of our form of government
is essential to the success of tn,
Soviet regime. He is aware tina
while there this IS being denied b,
the Soviet authorities the propa
ganda continues. He sees this beins
used by a certain class of politica
intrlguers in this country to further
their personal ambitions. He Is
aware that those who hope to make
more money out of a recognized than
out OF an unrecognized Russia are
scheming to bring about recognition
knowing these facts he does not
hesitate to declare his opinion.
There are some who see in the un-
compromising attitude of our Score
tary of State an approaching con-
flict with President Coolidge. Those
who will review what the President
said in his message will hardly find
Nf n hA
in these words: Already encourag-
ing evidence of the returning to the
ancient ways of society can be de-
tected. But more are needed.
Whenever there appears any dis
position to compensate our citizens
who were despoiled, and to recognize
the debt contracted with our govern
ment, not by the Car but by the
newly formed republic Of Russia !;
whenever the active spirit Of enmity
to our institutions is abated; when
ever there appear works mete for
repentance, our country ought to be
the first to go to the economic and
moral rescue of Russia. We have
every desire to help and no desire to
injure. We hope the time is near at
hand'when we can act.'
1t is worthy of note that the Presi-
dent prefaced these words by the
statement: Il do not propose to barter
away for the privilege of trade any
Of the cherished rights of humanity"
These words Secretary Hughes
quotes in his reply to Tchitcherin,
informing him there now exists no
occasion for negotiation, that this Is
not needed for Russia to stop her
propagandizing and acknowledge her
indebtedness to this country and that
this government has incurred no
liabilities to Russia.
Hughes reply is termed a slap in
the face of Russia and Senator
Borah. who has long been trying to
have Russia recognized, admits he is
"ffabbergasted." Secretary Hughes
isn't. That isn't his way. He in
sisted, in dealing with Mexico, that
she recognize her obligations to this
country, and this she will have to do
so long as the Hughes policy is ad-
hered to. And that, with regard to
Russia is the Harding policy, and for
that matter the policy Of President
Wilson.
The fact that the Soviet govern
mcnt has been going concern for
several years, the further fact that
trade with her is inducing other
countries to take chances. though no.
where that we have seen is there
evidence that her promises amount
to the paper on which they are writ
ten, are inducements for those in
terested in trade with that country to
urge recognition with some show of
reason. While they are permitted
to trade under existing conditions
they do SO at greater risk than If
the governmental relations between
the countries were on good footing.
But our State Department isn't dis
pUSeu u garter.
A rough estimate of the claims
of American cities taken together
with the government loan of $751;
600, 600 to the Kerensky government
Is around $3OO,Ooo.0oo Yet the
Soviet government has made no eff
fort to settle, and while 1t now
promises to recognize those claims,
or adjudicate them, 1t would have
OUR government recognize certain
claims on account of alleged damages
from two expeditions in Russia in
which this country participated.
Secretary Hughes says "The
American government has incurred
no liabilities to Russia or repudiated
obligations" He In effect tells them
to go ahead and pay their obligations
to us and put stop to their effort
to injure and interfere with our at
fairs and quit their confiscatory
policy such as they put into effect
in Vladivostock. This done 1t may
be time to talk about recognition
AS yet we have seen no good rea
son for abandoning this attitude
though possibly the truth might have
been told more agreeably than in the
direct, emphatic. curt language, used
" our Secretary Of State,
1T should be born in mind thai
recogniticn Of Russia by our govern.
nient would give the Soviet greater
power In dealing with the rest O
the world; that it would establish IL
tnis country a protected center o
&cay.ty against our institutions. Our
.