Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-03-10
United States Thinks
Russians Are as Yet
irresponsible
COMES AS ANSWER
Thinks Foreign Property
Unsafe and That Soviet
Still Strives to Under
mine Governments.
Bv A. L. BRADFORD

L u OIlN A-AANf A'--Cf '''N~N' = N''s' ,
Washington, March 10--Soviet
{ Russia does not yet deserve rec
ignition by the United States, in
the opinion of the American gov
eminent. .,
This statement, coming from
one of the highest authorities in
| Washington, may be accepted as
an official answer to statements of
! George Tchitcherin, Soviet minis
ter of foreign affairs, who in an
exclusive interview with the Unit
ed Press in Moscow, asserted the
soviet was fulfilling some of this
governments requirements for rec
ognition.
Replying to a recent statement
by Senator Lodge, Tchitcherin in
gist declared that foreign prop
erty enjoys complete security in
Russia and that the Soviet gov
eminent is honoring all agree
ments since the revolution with
other countries, and never said
that it would not.
Leaders of the American Gov
eminent believe that the state
ment is very weak" so far as
the possibility of its having any
bearing on the question OF re-
sumption of relations with the
/ United States is concerned.
From the highest authority
the United Press can state the
following outstanding points con-
corning the American attitude to-
wards Soviet Russia.
1.-The American Government
believes that foreign property
does not have complete secur-
ity" in Soviet Russia, and tina,
/ the Soviet regime does not yet
adequately recognize and guaran-
/ ty the sanctity of contract-de-
clared by Secretary of State
Hughes to be one of the principal
prerequisites to recognition.
2-The American Government
believes that. despite some pro
testations of Moscow to the con
trary, the Soviet Government is
still carrying on its world reco.
lutionary propaganda and trying
to undermine other governments
In brief, the United State,
Government holds that there ha;
been no fundamental change il
Russia under the Soviet, and es
pecially none that would warrant
recognition by this country.
Regarding Tehitcherin's claim
that foreign property enjoys com
plete security in Russia, high au
thorities here point out that |
large amount Of American prop
erty that was confscated in Rus
STA by the Bolshevists is still hel(
by the Soviet government.
1t is also believed by the Gov
eminent here that the Soviet ha
been most active in revolutionar,
propaganda in the Far East ant
also in Mexico. Incidental, it i
understood that a large amour
of money is being spent in thi
country on Soviet propaganda.
A significant point in the at
titude of this Government as
can be presented by the Unite'
Press, is that the United State
is absolutely not seeking to chang
the form of the Russian Gov
eminent. The American Govern
ment does not refuse to recognize
the Soviet because of its char
acter. as was the case of tn
Wilson administration. The oh
lection is that the Soviet does no
recognize and guaranty thes
principles without which it is i'm
possible or not advantageous t
carry on relations.
But, this Government does no
challenge the fact of the Sovie
, government; there is no doubt tina
it functions and that it is tn
real government of Russia. Blu
the question of the fact of
government and the suestion o
the establishment and mainten
ance of principles on which t
carry on relations, are two diff
ferent matters. The Russian cas-
, is somewhat analogous to tn
Mexican question.
Tchitcherin's statement tina
Russia is living up to ever.
treaty entered into since the rev
olution is believed here to b
somewhat beside the point, so ia
as the United States is concerned
for no treaty is known of between
Russia and any other country tina
offers a fair test of the Ameri
:. can objections.