Evening star., 1928-03-08
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PALL !. COLLINS.

United States Treasury and credit
taken against the $iS7.00o.00o debt
owed by Russia, regardless nf wfiat gov
ernment DE- facto ruled that country.
The Soviet government has paid Moth
ing on the debt, nor has II assumed
any obligation for Its future payment.
II has been suggested that II would
b. graceful gesture now IL. finding
the $5,00o0 900 gold shipment not avail
able as bank account for general
checking the government At MOSCOW
decided to offer II aS a partial payment
Of the general debt due the United
States. 1t has been demonstrated that
this country does not insist on actual
payment OF the debt Immediately, out
only asks Its acknowledgment rs a
auarcnty Of amity and sood faith. With
guaranty OF ownership as part Of the
settlement.
!. II has been suggested that since Rus
sia owes this country some sls1.ooo.-
900 for loans advanced 10 win the war.
this would be n fine opening for at
taching that s5.000.0o0 and sending q
credit slip TO the Romanon govern
ment which borrowed the money. or the
Soviet government which has not vet
Or we mieht give receipt To the tfc-
funct Kerensky government. which We
did recognize. but which today could
not quite recognize itself.
II we were TO attach the shipment
from the Soviet government, the ship
pcr. upon the ground that the gold
had been stolen from the kerenSky or
the Cars government. II would put the
burden OF proof upon us. and We have
no witnesses. Possession Is nine points
ot the law: the other point Is the story
that this identical gold came out Of
mines taken over" by the Soviet gov
crnment since 1929. hence preceding
governments had no shadow OF a claim
| upon II.
A high authority on International
/ law suggests that an attachment might
hold In favor of the kerenSky gov
ernmcnt~-~if such government could
today prove It's exiStence~-hut II would
he embarrassing to United States courts
10 have to pass upon that title. for
although the United States did regu~
larry recognize kerensky. he has ceased
To function and there is no successor
officially recognized.
II the owners of the gold mines from
taken within the last four or five years
could prove property and show that II
had been confiscated without payment,
| their title would be good, proyided Rus
sian courts 40 decided. but who are
we In America 10 decide disputed title
between tho Russian government. which
We do not recognize. and Russian
/ citizen or eitisena' Even the League
| of Nations dare not interfere In the
| internal affairs of any nation, And
| IL gold mine deep In the bowels ot
| the earth does not constitute Internal
| affairs, what Is IT.
So al last there comes a contradic-
| ton to the ancient proeerb, "Oold
/ goes In Al any gate except Heavens" +"
| for II must be amended by adding or
| Uncle Sans
| There Is one more peril which con-
| fronts that sS.000,00O, II may yet be
seized by Rumania, inst as that little
country has already seiaed certain hank
! balance OF the aoviets IN the Bank OF
France The story iS that, during the
, World War, Rumania, for security. de-
posted national funds. In Russian banks
| lest the German Austrian enemy nnd
It aud capture II, II held within the
/ fghtIng Eane. when the holshettk
revolution averthrew kerensky II setaed
| and conftseated the Rumanian bal"
anoes, There we're no aualms IN Ru"
| mania abnut recognising the confis-
Gator ot Its funds. So when II was dis
covered that the Hoviets had aoodiy
balance In the Bank of France Ru.
mania attached IT, and was awarded II
by the French court, III that several
million iranoa we're recovered II may
repeat that enurse IN America, II that
$4,000 600 does not quickly take wings
and nv hack averseas u h c0sttnA
ia owners = loas ~ t7o0 4 day inter.