The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-25
DELAY TO COST
U. S. DECADES
OF Reds TRADE
Vast Expansion of Next
Five Years to Fix Soviet'S
Buying Habits.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
scripns- Howard Foreign Editor


WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-Unless
the United States acts to open up
trade channels with Russia before
the second fve-year plan gets we'll
under way, 1t was learned author
ltatiyely today, the doors of the
Soviet Union will close against
American products for decades to
come.
The reason, it was explained, is of
a decidedly practical order, and has
nothing TO do with any resentment
Russians may feel against the
hesitancy at Washington to extend
recognition.
Russia simply has a job to do fur
nishing her house, and If these fur
nishings can not be bought in Amer
lea they will be bought elsewhere.
1t merely is a matter Of business.
Russia, it was observed, is now
about where the United States was
In the fifties. She is at the threshold
Of an era of stupendous expansion.
Billions to Be Expended
Literally tens of billions of dol
lars are to be expended on rail-
roads, harbors, power projects, road
building, flood control, irrigation,
electrication and so on.
Standards and specifications, now
being adopted, will be followed
probably for generations TO GENE.
If American railroad practices
are introduced into Russia, for ex-
ample, American locomotives, rails,
requirements, bridges and rolling
stock will become standard. This
means rich market for decades.
But for the fact that Canada
long ago adopted American stand
ards and specifications to large
extent, the British would have been
able to supplant the United States
almost entirely as result of the
conference at Ottawa. AS it was,
they only partially succeeded.
Chance for "Ground Floor"
Similarly if Russia industrializes
herself on the American plan she
would continue to buy in America
indefinitely. Other countries would
find it next to impossible to GUST
America from her preferred posi-
ton.
On the other hand, Germany,
Britain and other countries now
are attempting to get in on the
ground floor.
To-, Col Of fY.ot ctADtf a finr1
alone the second five-year plan calls
for 1880 miles of new railroad;
1000 locomotives; 1000 electric
freight engines; 1000 steam engines;
100000 freight cars $4,000 passen-
ger cars, and 100000 tons of steel
rail.
Water transportation facilities,
on which $644OOO,O00 was spent in
the first five-year plan, will be more
than tripled.
Vast canal projects irrigation and
ro-electrification plans are to
be undertaken. Long stretches of
railway are to be electrified.
Lack of Credit Facilities
Thousands of miles of highway
are to be constructed and the S707,-
10000 spent on automobile trans
port during the last four years will
be exceeded by far in the next half
decade.
Airlines are to be increased from
81 900 miles. now in operation, to
nearly 10000, for which an armada
of commercial plants will have to
be acquired.
For these and other projects, the
writer is assured, Russia has a
strong preference for American ma
terials.
Tens of thousands of American
workers could be employed indefl-
nitely on jobs for the Soviet Union.
Lack of credit facilities, due to
total absence of any trade, or other
understanding with Russia, was
cited aS blocking the road