Evening star., 1933-11-14
Looking Before We Leap.


thing savoring of a specific snag or
hitch has occurred to hold up the Rus
sian recognition negotiations in Wash
| ington, it Is amply apparent that they
have not proceeded with that dispatch
which Mr.. Litvinoff at least took for
granted.
En- route to the United States he
diverted himself Of the blithe belief
that, as far as he was concerned, mat
tiers could be arranged at Washington
''in half an hour" The Soviet COM
missar for foreign affairs has now been
here a week. He had expected to sail
for Europe tomorrow. But discussions
at the White House and the State De-
partment continue, and will probably
be prolonged through the week. The
one suggestion that finality is in sight
springs from the reputed desire of all
concerned to terminate the negotiations
by Friday, when President Roosevelt
plans to leave for his THANKSGIVING
vacation at Warm Springs.
One definite obstacle Mr.. Litvinotf
undoubtedly has encountered in Wash
ington. That is American reluctance
to acquieSce in the Soviet policy, when
establishing diplomatic relations with
other countries. of demanding recog-
milton first and relegating discussion of
everything else for later period. The
Communist statesman found President
Roosevelt and the State Department OF
different mind on that score. There
is plainly determination on the part
of our Government to explore thor
oughly, while weighing the deSirability
OF recognizing the Soviet, all of the
serious difficulties as President Roose-
velt's message to President Kalinin
termed them, with which the Russian
American situation is filled. Mr.. Roose-
velt does not hold these difficulties to
be "insoluble." he told the Soviet chief
executive. but the thoroughness and
deliberation with which they are now
being canvassed and scrutinized supply
welcome proof Of American disinclina-
ton to make in haste decisions which
might be repented at leisure.
Mr.. LitVinoff came to the United
States after series of rapid-fire politi-
cal successes in Europe. His series of
aggression pacts with powers large
and small was negotiated with almost
lightning speed. Only Japan, among
the important neighbors of Russia, did
not yield TO the vigorous diplomacy OF
Moscow.
In the case of the United States
there are vital reasons for proceeding
carefully with Russian recognition.
President Roosevelt. in doing so, may
rest assured of public support. Prob
ably two points, mainly, are delaying
conclusions. Ways and means of pre-
venting Communist propaganda in this
country must always head the list of
American conditions. Then comes the
matter of trade and the circumstances
under which the United States can
afford to avail itself of the allegedly
rich business Russia is ready to offer
us. She can pay for what she buys
from us either in goods Of her own
or by means Of credits established for
her benefit by American citizens or the
Government itself. With our domestic
recovery requirements excluding the
possibility of letting Russia invade this
market on any large scale with her
low-cost produce, it is plain that ex-
tensive credits alone can facilitate Rus
sian purchases over here.
How. when and by whom these finan-
cial advantages are to be extended is
a subject surrounded by plenty of COM
plexities to justify the caution with
which they are now undergoing scrutiny
The incidental delay spells soundness
and safety and is altogether commend
able. In statecraft. as in lesser fields
it Is always well TO look before we leap