The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-21
SOVIET TRADE
PLEA SOUNDED
BY ROBINSON
Conservative Senator From
Arkansas Swings From
ReaCtionary Side.
CITES BENEFIT TO U. 5.
Sentiment Grows Steadily
for Change in Stand
Against Russia.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SINTMS
Seripps-Howard Foreign Editor

EQM0E
WASHINGTON, April 2I.-Nor-
NAL diplomatic and trade relations
with Russia today were advocated
strongly by Senator Joseph T. Rob
inson of Arkansas, Democratic
leader.
Prompt consideration of this mat
ter, he declared in a categorical
statement to Scripps- Howard news
papers, not only would advance the
cause of world peace, now seriously
menaced. but help reduce unem-
ployment, TO-DAY the nations biggest
problem.
AS one fea&re in the policy of
promoting amicable international
relations and stimulating our for
eign commerce., he said, Il believe
that prompt consideration should be
given to establishment of diplomatic
and trade relations with Russia.
Politics Not Involved
Such a course in my opinion
he continued. does not involve
approval of the political policies OF
the Soviet republic. 1t means the
application Of well-establiShed prin-
ciples of international law as well as
the recognition of Sha significance
of export trade to the problem of
unemployment, now the most acute
OF all our difficulties.
Comparing the aggregate of do
nestle exports from the United
States in 1881 with that of 1929
our foreign trade has been cut in
half. Establishment of trade rela-
tions under present conditions with
Russia should be calculated to pro-
mote international peace and good
will"
The statement of Robinson, high
ranking member of the foreign rela-
tions cornnitte, came as something
Of a climax, marking a steady
growth of sentiment in official cir
cles here favorable to a reorienta-
ton Of United States Russian policy.
One OF the most conservative men
on Capitol Hill, the senior senator
from Arkansas weighs his pro-
nouncements carefully.
Great Opportunity for Trade
Representative Henry T. Rainey
of Illinois, majority leader in the
house, earlier in the week expressed
similar views, while in every section
of the country leading business men
and industrialists urged that billions
OF dollars worth of Russian orders
would follow establishment of nor
NAL relations with the Soviet
Union.
Bearing out Senator RobinsonS
contention. department of commerce
figures show that not only nearly
100000 American workers are de-
pendent upon export trade jobs, but
that every state of the union bene-
fits from this trade.
Many fail to appreciate, Secretary
Of Commerce Robert P. Lamont OBJ
served in this connection, that it is
not merely the eastern seacoast
states which profit from foreign
trade. He produced statistics to
back up his assertion.
Texas Is Second
New York was shown to rank first
among the states, as was to be ex-
pected, but the second was some
thing of a surprise, even to mem
bers Of congress. It was Texas.
California is third, Pennsylvania
fourth, Illinois fifth, New Jersey
sixth, Ohio seventh, Michigan
eighth, louisiana ninth and Vir-
ginia tenth.
The first ten states profting most
from this business, therefore, are
scattered from coast to coast and
from lakes to gulf.
No fewer than thirty states sold
more than $10,000,00O worth of their
products each to foreign countries.
according to commerce department
tables, and all but six of the entire
forty-eight sold above the million
mark. Even Nevada, at the bottom
of the list, sold $146,843 worth. thus
providing jobs for several hundred
of her citizens.
Exports generally. as indicated bv
Robinson, have dropped more than
SO per cent since 1929. Every i'm
portant foreign country, except
Russia, drastically has curtailed its
imports. Russia keeps on buying.
But, thanks to virtually prohibitive
conditions, the United States now is
getting almost none of her trade.
From $149,000,0OO worth of
Russian orders placed in this coun-
try in 1929-3O, they have dwindled
until the first two months of 1882
they totaled a bare $1,229, 900. So,
in two years our exports to Russia
have fallen of approximately 95Aper