Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28
EUROPE AWAKENS
TO SOVIET POLICY
French Journalist Holds Rus
sia'S Commerce Plan Is
Badly Timed.
BY GERVILLE REACHE.


BY Cable to The Star.
PARIS, September 27.-The attention
of Europe has been sharply awakened
to the attitude which will be taken by
the United States with regard to Russia.
Development of soviet commerce,
after having been the object of the de-
sires of numerous statesmen Of all the
countries of the world-David Lloyd
George, Ramsay Macdonald and Benito
Mussolini, to cite foreigners only-is
considered today as inopportune and
dangerous. It comes too early or too
late.
1t had been hoped that trade with
Russia would increase the outlets of
the world, but when it occurs in the
midst of an economic crisis its results is
rather to accentuate that crisis. The
capitalistic countries bewail dumping
and the soviets protest against strang-
ling, of which they claim to be victims.
Moscow Announces Stand.
This justice nevertheless, must be
rendered the Moscow government--1t
had clearly announced its intentions.
The newspaper 1zvestia in August had
written textually as follows:
THE difficulties which our enemies
raise against us in order to prevent us
from receiving credits necessary for the
what our opponents call forced eXp0r-
ia ton
Today the brutal fact is that Russia,
whose imports have increased much
quicker than her exports. and whose
fiduciary circulation during the first
two years application of the f1ve-year
plan. has been seeking to cover the
deficit in her trade balance and defend
her currency by selling at cut prices
Caucasus oil. Donetz anthracite, man
ganese, platinum, lumber. wood pulp,
fax and even wheat, although Russia S
population is deprived of everything.
| Immediately protests arose on all
sides, as in America The indignation
Of American coal operators was equaled
only by that of the French fax pro-
ducers, who were ruined, and British
newspapers denounced the Soviets for
sending to England quantities of glu-
cose, linen, potash, soap, cereals and
furs. Defensive measures are being
studied In the same way that an
embargo was temporarily placed on the
importation of wood pulp in the United
States, the lumber association in
Sweden refuses to sell sawed lumber of
Soviet origin. end France may be COM
PEELED to apply article 3 of her customs
law. which authorizes the imposition of
duty of 100 per cent ad valorem on
goods coming from a country whose
economic policy is considered inimical.
Quarrel Isn't New.
1t should be noted that this quarrel
regarding Soviet dumping isn't new.
Sir Henry Deterding, back in 1923. had
given 1t enormous publicity, which is
still recalled, after having failed in his
attempts to obtain a monopoly for the
expectation of Russian OIL To-day
American oil trusts and mechanical in
dustries urge Cancellation, while the
producers of, raw. materials and the
Federation of Labor are radically hostile
to the Soviet
Meanwhile the difficulty Of obtaining
united front in customs matters have
been once more shown this week in the
second commission of the League of
Nations. where divergence of views has
been affirmed between two factions OF
the European continent regarding the
most favored nation" clause. The
nations are divided among themselves
in the same way that the industries
and political parties are divided within
each nation.
What will 1t be several years hence
when the gigantic factories erected in
Russia are able to work at full pres
sure? OF course the famous five-year
plan Is not executed integrally and the
results that the Moscow government
expected from 1t for the third year
even now are compromised On the
other hand, among the concessions re-
quested by foreigners IA have been
forced to withdraw following lawsuits
amounting to several million dollars.
Choice of Policy Delicate.
The choice of policy towards Mos
cow is a particularly delicate question
The capitalistic world. in point of fact
cannot hope that the restoration OF
! Russia at the hands of the Soviets will
, not also serve the ends of the third
! international. But 1t is possible also
as the economic reconstruction of Rus
STA advances, that the present Soviet
regime will gradually make way for q
more sociable democracy
Whatever the difficulties may be for
common action, the capitalistic nation.
should nevertheless cooperate on the
| subject. They will have ample oppor.
| tunity at the forthcoming economic
conference of governmental delegates
which meets in November and at which
measures win be envisaged against
Soviet dumping while safeguarding the
| inevitable exchanges of goods between
| Russia and the rest of the world. The
| European committee which meets If
! January also doubtless will be asked t6
consider the problem.
(Copyright, l930)