Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25

back" that Is to say, agreements
among any powers in which Russia was
not represented, had not been consulted
or had not consented to.
Realizes Its Own vitality.
Beyond all such speculations how
ever, Is the essential factor stressed at
the outset of this article, that Soviet
Russia has reached feeling OF its
own vitality that causes 1t to take a
Arm, a belligerant, stand. toward the
United States, which 1t has been Guilt
waiting so assiduously in the hope OF
getting official recognition and finan-
cial assistance In its economic program.
The official and popular feeling in
Moscow before this attack had been
particularly friendly to the United
States 1Or in July 1t was noted by the
Russians ,at least, they so interpreted
ca seemed In The main to sympathize
with Russia In the railroad crisis. 1t
was the first time American newspaper
opinion had seemed so favorable and
there was elatiOn in Russia.
When negotiations with China broke
down the Soviet leaders seemed to be-
lieve that Russia was isolated in spite
OF this one favorable factor and SO the
Russian press increased its efforts, by
CdEt OObS hliu Atl hC"o anu SNA-
torials, to convince the people that
Russia was the sole socialist nation in
the world. surrounded by powerful cap
italiSt nations ready and eager to pounce
upon and destroy the first workers re-
public China was pictured as having
been won over to the capitalist side
and as being in fact a mere cats paw
in a vast capitalist plot to deprive
Russia of It's Manchurian rights.
If fhfc o. pda within PMS.
STA may be attributed to the usual gov
ernmental effort to stimulate and Solidi-
fy public opinion. In China the gov
eminent was just as active in setting
forth the Justice of It's cause and arous-
ing Chinese nationalistic emotion. Both
Russia and China, but China especially.
have been seeking to convince world
opinion that each was the victim, and
the other the aggresSor.
Competent judges of Russia here and
in Russia itself do not expect any last
ing resentment in Russia toward the
United States when this crisis shall
have passed because the sincerity of any
efforts the United States may have
made to adjust the dispute Is not
questioned Nevertheless this docs not
gainsay the central fact that Russia
today is a more decisive factor in inter-
national politics than has been the
actuality hitherto.
Wants Financia Benefits.
As for the fourth question. the OPEN
ing Of Russian doors to tourist travel,
1t is attributable to the same underly-
ing conviction in Russia that the ma
ton can stand such scrutiny by for
eigners and Russia In addition wants
the financial benefits OF tourists such as
France and other European nations
American in.
vaSlon.
There are limitations Of hotel and
other accommodations In Russia which
will prevent a large influx OF tourists,
but regulations at the border for those
who are admitted have been Simplified
and relaxed to approximately other Eu-
ropean border conditions. Even CAM
eras are used freely now by tourists, the
Russians seeming to feel that every
thing already has been SO photographed
and written up that tourists cannot
find anything new. especially detri-
mental to the soviet regime.
After all, Russians are human. AS
the memory of past wrongs and hard
ships fades out and as economic re-
covery progresses giving somewhat
easier living condition relaxation
from the severe system OF the earlier
soviet years Is inevitable, though this
does not mean relaxation from social
istic doctrines within Russia. as far as
observation in 1929 could detect. The
testimony of Americans living in Rus
STA. as well as observation, was that
tightening up Of socialistic ideas has
occurred this year 1t is in the atti-
t,lde toward foreign visitors and in the
governments foreign policy, that the
relaxation is apparent, and the vgor-
Gus new note struck.