The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-11-07
TUESDAY. NOV. ]. 1893.
WELCOME. LITVINOFF

RY happy coincidence President Roosevelt
II is receiving his invited guest. Foreign
Minister Ltvinof. on the sixteenth anniver-
sary Of the Russian revolution. In sixteen
years Of progress Russia has improved the lot
Of her people at a speed unequaled in history,
and has won for herself the position of great
power in world affairs.
Russia's form Of government is none Of our
business-any more than our form of govern
ment is Russia's business. Only two questions
are pertinent when one government establishes
relations with another. First: Is the govern
rnent stable? Second: Does it meet its foreign
obligations?
That the Moscow government is one Of the
most stable in the world today no longer is
doubted anywhere. That it meets its foreign
obligations is attested by the long list of Amer
lean corporations which have had contractual
relations with the Soviet government for years
Indeed the statement has been made in the
British house Of commons that Soviet Russia
is the only country N the world in which there
has been no default On foreign commercial
obligation. Of course, most of our foreign
government debtors are in default, in part or
wholly.
To be sure there are Russian-American
claims and counter-cIaims to be settled: on
the one hand claims growing out of expropri-
ated property at the time Of the revolution and
the Kerensky loan, and on the other hand
Soviet claims resulting from American military
Intervention. Doubtless the two governments
will follow the customary international pro-
cedure of submitting these to mixed-claims
commission.
The old propaganda fear no longer is pres
ent here. Soviet officials have been living in
this country for several years with the consent
OF the state department, and the Washington
government has good reason to know that they
have conducted themselves properly-which is
more than can be said for some other foreign
representatives
1t should be remembered that Foreign Min
lister Litvinof Is being welcomed at the White
House today as an invited guest, as an equal
and not as beggar. Russia can get along
without the United States just rs we'll as we
can get along without Russia; sixteen years
have proved that.
The benefits which would result from
American-RuSsian cooperation are reciprocal
Both nations would profit immensely.
Formal diplomatic recognition would be I'M
important in itself. After all. Germany and
Japan recognized Moscow long ago, though
there is not much friendship between them.
There was time when our mere recognition
might have helped Russia, but that day passed
when most Of the nations of the world recog-
nized her.
The need now Is for more active co-opera-
ton, both in economic and diplomatic affairs
Russian orders linked to American credits can
produce hundreds of millions of dollars worth
of American goods, speeding the industrializa-
ton of Russia and helping America out of the
depression. On the political side Russia and
the United States are the two chief forces for
disarmament and for world peace today.
They can achieve more working together
than pulling apart. Indeed the fight between
Russia and the United States hitherto has
been a positive encouragement to the war
forces in Germany and Japan, and to the
anti-disarmament forces in France, Italy and
Great Britain.
In every country the friends Of peace will
rejoice when the United States and Russia.
the worlds mightiest republics, stand together