Evening star., 1933-10-21
RECOGNITION NOW
APPARENTLY SURE
Soviet Conversations With
President Will Be Contin.
ance of Discussions.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
facts" could be established between the
two governments.
These contact" were to be IN the
shape of an exchange of Army and
Navy officers to study together the sit
uation. The offer came at that time
direct from Stain and Voroshiloff, the
Soviet secretary of war. It was, how
ever. turned down by the Hoover ad-
ministration because it might have Gre
ated serious complication If it had come
out that such an exchange had taken
place without an actual recognition,
even # the American officers had gone
to Russia as members of commission
of Investigation in RuSSia's economic
affairs and the Russians had come here
as members of commercial mission.
But since the coming to office Of
President Roosevelt number Of high
American officials, such as the Special
Assistant to the Secretary Of State,
William c. Bullitt; number Of Sen
ators and others in the Presidents con-
fidence, have visited Moscow and made
reports favoring immediate recognition
Of Russia.
Although there is every indication
that the result of the conversations
between President Roosevelt and Lit
vinoff are going to end in an official
diplomatic relations between the two
countries, President Roosevelt has clear
ly indicated there are serious difficulties
which have to be settled before official
recognition is extended to Russia. But
he welcomes the opportunity of talking
the matter over with the Soviets for
eign secretary because ANY difficulties
between great nations can be removed
only by frank, friendly conversations"
Ambassador Picked Out.
As a matter of fact, the difficulties
are by far less important than they
seem at a first glance. The Soviet
government is so certain Of American
recognition that the name of VALERIE
Mezhlank. one of the highest author
tiles on economics in Russia, Is report
&c to have been DESIGNATED as future
Ambassador to Washington. Mezhlank
was in the United States in 1880 un-
officially on an economic mission.
Heretofore the chief obstruction to
renewal of normal relations with Russia
was American public opinion, which did
not cherish the idea of having relations
with a government which has been
responsible for the assassination Of the
Russian imperial family. This feeling
today there are only a few groups which
are opposed to recognition. The ma
jority of the people are either indiffer-
ent or favorable to recognition which
will greatly facilitate important COM
mercial transactions between the two
countries.
Technically the reasons against rec
ognition, as set forth by the former
Secretary of State, Charles E. Hughes,
are:
l. Fear of communist propaganda.
2 The refusal of the Soviet govern
ment to acknowledge the obligations OF
the previous Russian governments, and
3. Conf1scation of American private
property il Russia.
The fear of Soviet propaganda in the
United States has lessened during the
last few years. The Soviet government
always has been willing to give the nee
essary guarantees demanded by other
governments that it would abstain from
propagandizing. Sometimes, 1t is said.
these guarantees have not worked out
satisfactorily, although nobody knows
exactly whose fault it was when there
was an outcry that Communist prop
aganda was being directed from the
embassies and legations Of the Soviet.
Political Reasons.
Sometimes it did look as if political
reasons demanded scandals as that
which occurred in London when the al
legged Zinovieft letter which contributed
to the defeat of the Labor party in Eng
land was published.
But on the whole, after watching
closely the effects of Communistic
propaganda in countries like England,
France, Germany and Italy, the Amer
ican Government is satisfied that they
did not really increase the Communist
element in any of these countries.
Consequently, it is believed that an
agreement on this subject will be easily
reached, and the American Government
will be satisfied with the guarantees the
Soviet government is ready to give that
it will not try to interfere in any way
in Americas internal affairs.
The refusal of the Soviet government
to acknowledge the financial obligation
Of the previous Russian governments is
likely to constitute q more dimcult
problem. These obligations are divided
in two: the loans the Kerensky gov
ernment obtained in the United States,
amounting to s187,000,000, during the
World War. and the loans fioated In
New York by the old czarist regime,
amounting to $86,0o0,o00.
In regard to the former. the Soviet
government always has indicated its
willingness to discuss the matter with
the American Government with the view
Of coming to an understanding.
The United States Government Is not
likely to prove adamant on this mat
ter When it considers the billions Of
dollars which have been reduced from
the war debts Of the allies for no real
purpose at ALL the $187 900 900 the Rus
SLAMS owe us. Is comparatively trivial
matter.
Railroad Bond Question.
As far as the $s6,OO0,OO0 railroad
bonds f1oated in New York during the
czarist regime are concerned, the Soviet
government is willing to discuss their
refunding on the basis that the amounts
used by the former government for eco
nornic purposes will be honored. The
question which remains to be deter
mined is how much OF those three loans
were actually used on railroads and how
much for other purposes.
The last question which made recog-
milton of the Soviet conditional is the
question Of the confiscated property be-
longing to American citizens Soon after
the coming into power Of the Soviet
regime private property belonging to
Russians and foreigners alike was con-
fiscated Among the American property
thus confiscated was a sum Of about
sl1,000,O00 of the Petrograd branch Of
the National City Bank, property be-
longing to the Crane Co., the Interna-
tiollal Harvester and other less impor-
tant companies which had interests In
Russia.
The Soviet government Is reported to
be willing to discuss this matter With
the interested parties and intends
either to refund the sums appropriated.
orsfailing this, to enter with them into
certain agreements whereby they could
49, t. sw@It