Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-04-27
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
fContinued from Page ~

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ceeding." More than such general
tiles is not contained in the COM
muniques, so these run true to form.
One criterion of diplomatic ability is
to coin nicely rounded statements
which say nothing definite, and which
are so phrased that they may be con-
sidered non-committal in a pinch.
Puzzled bewilderment was quite
evident throughout the world when
the American government last week,
United States had gone off the gold
standard. Now, it appears that
concerted effort may be made to eff
feet the return of the principal coun-
tries to some modified form of that
standard That question appears to
be one of the important subjects now
under discussion.
| While definite and binding agree
ments between nations are beyond
the scope and purpose of the states
men summoned for purely informal
conference it should not be forgotten
that the Washington conversations
are important. Only, they are not
yet as important as will be the par
liamentary ratification of accOrds;
all.
| Distractions.
1t is no easy task to sit down and
/ figure out, pencil i'm hand, how to
go about Initiating a return to inter-
national normally, and, somehow, the
British government. so very cOnspicu-
ously i'm evidence in the Washington
efforts to ameliorate conditions, seems
to have blundered grievously by plac-
| ing an embargo on 80 per cent of
Russia's exports to Great Britain.
The moment could not have been
more inopportunely selected. for the
embargo comes at the very time when
all international forces are trying to
unite their efforts to remove the OBJ
structions which are Strangling inter-
national trade.
Great Britain's act is interpreted
as having been prompted by revenge:
Six British engineers in Russia were
espionage; one was sentenced to
three years in prison, one to two years,
three to deportation, and one was &C
quilted. The very fact that charges
could be preferred against British
engineers seems to have been too
much of twist to the tail of the Brit
ish lion. So, he growls.
Retaliation.
But Russia, carefully excluded from
the Washington conversations, APP
parently intended to remind the world
of its existence. and promptly retail
ated by placing complete embargo
on all British goods.
Furthermore, in Moscow it is
limited that Great Britain was not
profoundly interested in the fate of
the engineers. but chiefly in the trade
agreements growing out of the i'm
perial conference at Ottowa last sum-
mer. AS it might not look very we'll
to admit that in so many words, a
preteXt was found in the sentences
meted out to the engineers.
|
still maintains that the embargo
against Russia is a direct result of
the Moscow courts procedure, and
while it has been ordered to go into
effect this week there seems to be a
possibility that it may not be en-
forced, provided the Soviet govern
ment will commute the prison SEN
| of ho orf.
tion.
Trades Importance.
From the viewpoint that trade re-
lations just now are of supreme i'm
portance, it is very unfortunate that
Great Britain and Russia have started
a trade war involving, as it undeni-
ably does. two of the most powerful
of all nations.
Mr.. Roosevelt has attacked the
world problems from the right angle
since he has made it clear that the
reason he wanted to discuss matters
with foreign diplomats, was his con-
viction that economic adjustments
are necessary as a condition of politi-
Cal harmony between nations. Dis.
armament is not merely matter OF
politics, law and international morals
it is very closely interviewer with
economics, and that fact is becoming
clearer as the time goes on. He, and
the gentlemen with whom he is con.
versing, cannot expect to accomplish
anything without taking Russia into
consideration, for, as Foreign Mini
ster Litvinov said at Moscow the Other