Evening star., 1933-10-23
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

When you stop to think OF it, Prea-
dent Roosevelts readiness to consider
recognition of Russia is just another
manifestation Of the will to experiment.
which is the hallmark and keynote OF
the new deal. 1t is one more proof
of the daring disregard OF precedent
which has characterized the conduct
of the Government since March 4,
1888 Four Presidents In succession
refused relations with the Sovtet-Wll-
son. Harding. Coolidge and Hoover. as
we'll as their respective Secretaries OF
State, Colby, Hughes. Kellogg and
Stimson-but that circumstance does
not deter F. D. r. from embarking un-
afraid upon q policy that denotes q
violent break with the past. The day
he flew to Chicago to accept the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination In July
1882, Mr.. Roosevelt observed that ne
was setting a precedent, and warned
the convention and the country that
if he were sent to the White House
there would be plenty OF other prece-
dents. The overtures to Russia grapnl-
cally typify President Roosevelt's policy
of trying anything he considers for the
public good. and not being def1ected
from it merely because nobody else
ever IlSkeQ QOulS " UCAOACs
X \
There's reason to believe it was q
newspaper man. Walter Duranty. MOS
COW correspondent Of the New YORK
Times, who first set Mr.. Roosevelt to
thinking seriously Of the desirability OF
recognizing Soviet Russia. Mr.. Du-
ranty was one Of the Democratic nomi-
nee's callers at Hyde Park during the
presidential campaign and they dis
cussed Russian conditions and Russo
American relations exhaustively. Mr.
Duranty has long favored recognition
although his news dispatches have been
fearlessly critical Of the BolsheVlSt
regime.
Few authorities in Washington doubt
that 1t is the prospect of profitable
trade with Russia that persuaded
President Roosevelt to consider the pos
sibility of recognition. Men like Col.
Hugh L. Cooper and other American
business men who know Russia from
the inside have been propagandizing
assiduously for months along the line
that orders awaiting us in the Russian
market would Immediately and i'm
mensely prime the pump Of American
prosperity. Undoubtedly, trade con-
siderations will bulk conspicuously In
the Roosevelt -Litvinoff conversations at
Washington, with long-term financial
credits as the big issue. Unless these
are made available. those millions the
Russians are ready to spend in the
United States are likely to remain
mythical. The Communist propaganda
angle will not be overlooked when M.
Litvinoff is at the White House. The
President is thoroughly sold on the
necessity Of shackling the Soviet ef-
fectively; as far as subyersive agitation
over here is concerned.
Nobody is entitled to crow more
loudly over approaching Russian recog-
milton than Senator Borah. The
Idahoan has been an apostle Of rela-
tions with the Soviet for years. In each
duced resolution favoring recognition.
He submitted his annual resolution on
March 10. 1888. Next day Senator
resolution providing that before the
United States takes any steps toward
recognition of Russia, the Senate Com
mittee on Foreign Relations should be
directed to make full investigation OF
the question. No action was ever taken
on either the Borah or King resolu-
tions. Their purposes are, Of course.
obviated by President Roosevelt's pres
ent procedure.
\ \ X
\ Washington's PRO and con" magazine,
Congressional Digest, with intelligent
anticipation, devoted its entire October
number to a comprehensive review OF
the question, Should We Recognize
Soviet Russia?" As an indication Of
how public opinion is divided. the
Digest publishes statements favoring
recognition by Prof. Moley, Senator
Borah. Senator johnson, Senator Wag-
ner. Senator Cutting, Speaker Rainey
and AL Smith, and statements in op-
position by Senator Robinson Qndiana)
Representative Hamilton Fish, President
Green of the American Federation OF
Labor, DR.. Edmund A. Walsh, Prof.
Philip Marshall Brown Of Princeton,
and former Secretary Of State Colby.
DR.. walsh Of Georgetown University,
hitherto the outstanding exponent Of
the anti-recognition group, urges ces-
sation Of debate on the subject pend