The producers news., 1926-01-15
SOVIET DIPLOMAT
FOOLS THEM ALL
A CAPITALIST VIEW OF
TCHTTCHERIN
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

diplomacy, M. Georg Tchitcherin, now
Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union,
represents a late and almost perfect
Towering Of the outworn cult Of Sc
cret diplomacy. He still employs all
its stock phrases, catch-subterfuge
which seldom deceive a rabbit-fOr ex-
ample, he never "goes on a mission"
but travels for his health" Yet
when cOrnered and pressed for cate
gOrical answers to specific questions
he speaks with the adroit tongue of
sybl or a Machiavelh. A few days
ago he arrived at Paris as expected,
and the Olympian game cf interro-
eating him was resumed by cores
pondents, with the following results:
Q.-Are the e-RevOlutiOn debts
of the Tsarist Government to be even
tually settled by the present Soviet
Government?
Al have always found that any
declaration made on this subject leads
to Stock Exchange maneuvers by un
scrupulous persons holding Tsarist
securities. The Franco-Russian coUn-
ter-claims will shortly be considered
by a joint commission"
Q-YOu have been quoted as say
ing that the Russian Revolution has
wiped out" all private debts to for
eign nationals. How do you justify
this attitude?
A.-"When foreigners invested in
Russia's mines and vast untapped re
sources, it was because their profits
We're greater than those to be derived
at home. They were therefore specu-
/ lating, and must stand their losses
I as a speculatOr or a gambler does"
Q.-Then investments in Russia
since the Revolution are subject to
/ this same risk?
A.-"By no means! Investments IN
the new Russia are absolutely sound,
+. because they are guaranteed by our
Civil Code The Hartman interests
know this, and have obtained great
manganese concessions in Georgia.
The production of their Georgian
I Manganese Co. was $4,000 metric tons
last month"
Q-(From a French correspond
ent.) DO you realize that the French
Government has never repudiated its
debts in any way?
A.-"A French politician once told
me, France recognizes debts but
doesn't pay them, while Russia
doesn't recognize debts but seeks,
nevertheless, to see if they cannot be
arrangd. .
Q.-Is Russia attempting to negOti-
ate "LOcarnO' agreements with the
Baltic States on the one hand and
the Eastern European States on the
other?
Al have not the slightest idea
what you mean when you say 'Locar-
no. or the Spirit of LocarnO.' If you
mean peaceful relations, then that il
= what we have been seeking for g
long time. The future viii
. show if the LocarnO agreement real
" has the pacific character attribute
ed to it by those participating in it
! Ior whether some of them will not re
eret this work after some time.
I NAV say that Russia has no inten
ton of forming a group Of states fac
E ing the Baltic sea cr the North sea.
OWL Russia accept the invita-
, tiOn of the Council of the League o
: Nations to participate in the Specia
Y Disarmament Committee (Time, Dec
/ 21) which is to be called in Februar
!. to prepare for an InternatiOna
e League Disarmament Conference?
= A.-"Our negative attitude regard
ing the League Of Nations remain
e entirely as it was. The way t
y reach international agreements
r net, according to US, that which !
f proposed to us. There is another wa
d IOpen-bv direct and immediate agree
o ments with all the other countries O
Abof iufnrocfc I1C
q "The Soviet cannot accept the IL
y vitation to the preparatory dlsarma
lment conference committee becaus
: we fear it will prove only dilatory. II
= tervention. We are againS
years of security discussion as a pre-
4 liminary to disarmament"
ii O.-DO you expect the Unite
= States to resume diplomatic relation
= with Russia in the near futureI
" Economic relations have a
ready been resumed. Without hole
: inc the view which / am about
state. I may remark that some peopl
r. think that, since we are already abl
. to do business with the United State
q the resumption of diplomatic relation
Is not necessary. This attitude ma
o. delav progress toward the resumptlo
10 of diplomatic relations. The gener;
ir settlement of international affairs
a. impossible without us"
III *"The Georgian Socialist Sovi
tn Republic" proclaimed at Tifiis
at 1917.
ne
TIME PAYMENTS.
ed Tramp: sure a swell owe