Evening star., 1933-01-29
ROOSEVELT TO GET
RECOGNITION PLEA
Col. landes Heads Drive for
Trade Pact With Soviet
Russia.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
President ELECT Roosevelt, as a result
of plans formulated in Washington yes.
terday, Is to be urged to recommend
American recognition Of Soviet Russia
in his inaugural address on March 4
The movement to that end has been
launched by Col. Lewis Landes, World
War veteran and now senior colonel
of the Reserve Corps Of the United
States Army. Col Landes Is a prac-
ticing lawyer in New York City and
the recent organizer Of the National
Committee for the Recognition ofsSoviet
Russia" of which he is chairman and
general counsel. Declaring himself and
his associates unalterably and uncom-
promisingly opposed to Communism IN
all its forms, Col. Landes and his group
advocate Soviet recognition on two
primary grounds-the substantial bene-
fits which he alleges would accrue tc
American industry, with consequent un-
employment relief. and the urgent de-
STABILITY of friendly Russia In the
Far East, with view to the possible
danger of a conflict between the United
States and Japan.
Mr.. Roosevelt has had submitted to
him a communication addressed to the
Recognition Committee at New York by
Senator Joe T. Robinson Of Arkansas
who will be the majority leader OF the
new United States Senate. Senator
Robinson declined on principle to per-
init the use of his name as q memDer
of the committee, but said: During
the last session of the Congress my
unqualified Endorsement was announced
Of the diplomatic recognition OF the
Russian state by the United States with
a view to establishing closer trade
relations between the two countries. The
opinion then expressed has not been
altered" COL Landes Is unmlstakably
Of the opinion that the Democratic
Senate leaders support Of the recognl-
ton cause insures 1t at least sym
pathetic consideration at President-elect
Roosevelt's hands.
Believed Favorable.
Although no public utterances OF his
justifies It, the belief persists in WASH
ington that Gov. Roosevelt is strongly
inclined in favor of establishing official
relations with Soviet Russia. One pur-
pose attributed to him Is the early
appointment of United States trade
commissioner to Moscow, who would
prepare the ground for later and even
tual diplomatic intercourse between the
two governments. During the 1882
campaign, Gov. Roosevelt had protrActed
talks at Albany with Walter Duranty
famous New York Times correspondent
in Russia Mr.. Duranty ranks as an ad-
vocate of American recognition OF the
Soviet.
Col. Landes, who was one of the Or
ganizers of the American Legion and
whose final war service was as men,
ber of the staff of Gen. Dickman,
commanding the American Army of
Occupation on the Rhine, claims that
widespread and influential support for
the National Committee for the Recog-
milton Of Soviet Russia is already forth
coming although the movement is bare
ly a month old. Among those who
have assured the committee of their
approval are Gov. Clifford Pinchot of
Pennsylvania; Gen. William S. Graves,
U. S. A., retired, who commanded the
American Expeditionary Forces in Rus
sia; Representative Henry T. Rainey OF
Illinois, Democratic leader in the
House of Representatives, and a host OF
American manufacturing and exporting
concerns, anxious for expansion Of the
United States trade with Russia. Gen.
Graves wrote the Recognition Commit
tee: MY convictions are strong that
the United States should recognize
Gn1riof Pryccio Tt iS cnny-ictinT, that
such recognition would have a stabiliz-
we have waited too long" Representa-
tive Rainey wrote: Il have always been
in favor Of trading with Russia. The
sentiment in that direction is increas-
ing now, I assure you" The National
Association of Manufacturers, as a
body, has expressed to Col. Landes Its
interest in the recognition plan.
Objections Recalled.
This writer explained to Col. Lande.
that the consistent policy of the State
Department, beginning with the Wilson
administration and continuing through
the Harding, Coolidge and Hoover ad'
ministrations, has been that the United
States cannot shake hands diplomati'
cally with Soviet Russia aS long as tht
Moscow government refuses two things
Cd to acknowledge the validity of tht
-Bolshevist governments debts to tht
American Treasury, and 90 to pledge
itself irrevocably to abstain from Com.
munist propaganda in this country
directly or indirectly.
II cannot state too emphatically,
said Col. Landes. that the COMMITTEES
for the Recognition of Soviet Russis
has no connection with, and is in M
wise inspired by, the Russian authorize.
at Moscow. No American alive !abhor!
the Communist system of government
more than do. nor is there an!
American who would more violentl!
oppose its introduction into this country
or any attempt to introduce it. But
am in position to state that Russia il
ready, when the time comes, to give ou
country binding assurances on ever!
score that we have a right to demand
These scores are, first and foremost, {
cast-iron commitment in the name o
the Soviet government that it will no
foster or foment subversive propagand:
against American institutions; secondly
satisfactory commitments with respec
to the money that the previous Russia,
government owes to the American tax
payers; and. thirdly, reliable guarantee
that goods purchased by Russia In tn
United States will be paid for on credi
terms agreeable to the sellers.
American trade sorely needs the ricl
Russian market. Our business with tn
Soviet fell from about $4,000 900 il
1929 to about $32,000,000 in 1881, ant
to approximately $4,000, 900 In the frs
nine months of 1882. The business W
lost was gained by our European bust
ness competitors, mainly Great Britain
and Germany.
Points to Far East.
IF our export needs in themselve
were not sufficient to justify earl,
diplomatic relations with Russia OF
agreeable conditions, the increasingI
menacing situation in the Far Eas
seems to me to make desirable in tn
highest degree, and as soon as feasible
the establishment of q cordial under
standing between the great Russian