Evening star., 1926-05-13
SOVIET WOULD BUY
u. S. RECOGNITION
Trade Increase Held to lndl-
cate Plan to Influence
Sentiment Here. ''''.-'
By FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Red Russia plans to buy Ameri-
can diplomatic recognition by way of
what Moscow considers the almighty
dollar" The Soviet believes that by
a system of "extending credits" in the
United States through purchase OIL
American goods. the way to diplomatic
relations will he securely paved.
Already American-Russian CONNER
cial intercourse has reached lever
far higher than anything ever known
in Czarist times. Taking 1918 as
typical pre.war year, the Department
of Commerce informs this writer that
the United States sold Russia roundlN
$40.0 .000. 900 worth of raw materials and
manufactures. Soviet statistics Tor
the fiscal year ended October l, 1928,
show that Russia bought $S7,0o0.0O0
worth of American goods, or more
than double the amount purchased IN
a pre-war peak year.
The representatives Of the Soviet
business organization in New YORK
attended the thirteenth annual con-
vention of the National Foreign Trade
Council at Charleston, s. C., early IN
MAY, They were George Y. Tourhin,
vice president of the Russian Amtorg
Trading Corporation of New York IA
Soviet subsidiary. and ]. ?. NlkonoW.
a representative of the corporations
technical division.
Official Buying Agency.
The "Amtorg," as the concern is
known. is the official Russian sales
and purcha sing organization in the
United States. Although prominent
American business leaders at Charles
ton resented the presence of the
Soviet agents the latter admitted that
they had unobtrusively accomplished
important missionary work" among
the captains of industry and finance
with whom they mingled at the for
eign trade council.
Messrs. Tourbin and Nikonow made
no bones about saying that official
American recognition is the main
spring of Soviet business activity in
this country. The Moscow govern
ment's apparent expectation is that
when American business in and with
Russia has become sufficiently impor-
tant, the demand for diplomatic rela-
tions will be warmly supported in this
country, and eventually prove irresist-
ible.
Messrs. Tourbin and Nikonow told
Americans who conferred with them
at Charleston that they are making
substantial progress in the desired
direction. II was claimed that the
Soviet trading orga nizat ton is obtain
ing American credits on its purchases.
running in some cases to three and
half and even five years. The Rus
sian argument and belief is that
hard headed American business men
would not extend such wholly un-
usual credits to foreign buyers un-
less there We're reaSonah BILE eXpecta-
tions that the United States and the
country in question would in the
interval establish themselves on a
diplomatic basis.
Cotton Leads i'm Exports.
The rapid growth Of our sales to
Russia is. of course, pIinla faCie evi-
dence that American business is not
at all disinclined to trade with the
Soviet. Cotton, as in czarist days.
remains the big item. Exports of
Dixie's speciality to Russia in 1924
1925 amounted to s44 600 900. Flour
bought in qua antics that reflected the
effect of the 1928 famine, accounted
for SCI. 500 600
There were heavy increases in the
Russian purchases Of agricultural i'm
plements. manchinery of all kinds
and non-ferrous metals-those three
categories totalinC Sl6,000,000 The
Soviet bought S1.100.000 worth of
American automobiles last year.
Leather was taken from us for the
first time. and extensive quantities
of chemicals and drugs. Private i'm
ports from the United States are
nominally legal, but in fact virtually
all purchases abroad are Soviet gov
ernment monopoly.
Trade is progressing al the pres
ent time on a scale that undoubtedly
will reach much bigger figures than
lastcyear's total. Men like President
Vauclain of the Baldwin Locomotive
works. Philadelphia, who has just
visited Moscow. are going to Russia
almost every month from the United
States. exploring business possibili-
ties. The "Amtorg" offices in New