Evening star., 1933-10-22
0VERTURES
HELD PEACE AID
Berlin and Toxic May Scan
Negotiations Between
u. S. and Russia.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Berlin and Toxic may we'll arch their
| eyebrows as they contemplate the over
| lures made by President Roosevelt to
the Soviet government. For world
| diplomacy has a way OF appraising
every move in international relations
as bearing upon world peace.
II the United States and Russia grow
more friendly, Japan may consider
seriously what the opportunities would
be for the Soviets to buy munitions in
the United States in the event Of a
Russo-Japanese war.
Also, If the United States and Russia
become friendly, then Dictator Hitler in
Berlin. who has been antagoniZing the
| Soviets may we'll wonder what the new
understanding between MOSCOW ana
Washington would mean to a possible
| German Russian imbroglio.
The United States Government has
| never made entangling alliances, but
| 1t has often in past history made skill
/ full use of diplomacy to help keep the
scales Of peace even.
Recognition Certain.
Unquestionably Mr.. Roosevelt's initi-
| atiye will ultimately mean formal
| IeCCRlllSiOll. 1IlIo 10 Pi PiSbASNobAN
| the questions at issue between The
| United States and Russia are easier
| to solve today owing to changed con-
dltions than they have been at any
other time since the war.
First of all is the problem of Com
lmuniSt propaganda America mas al
ways insisted the Russian government
must not instigate the distribution OF
such propaganda in the United States.
| The same question has troubled Eu-
rope, but the people OF America are not
likely to be unduly Influenced by any
body's propaganda-there Is 100 mucn
counter propaganda in favor of the
American idea. So assurances as TO
Russian forbearance on this point will
not be difficult for the Soviet govern
ment to give the United States Gov
ernment.
Question OF War Debts.
| Second, there is the question OF the
war debts-the many millions loaned by
the United States to the Kerensky gov
ernment before the Communists came
into power. Well, France and Great
Britain and the other European gov
| ernments now enjoying diplomatic rela-
tions with the United States have not
made such good record on the pay
ment of war debts either. so this point
should present no unsolvable problem.
| Against this, too, are some Russian
claims against the American Army
which helped the allies at Archangel.
CLAIMS are adjustable through a Joint
commission. as happened when the
Mexican government was recognized
Finally, there is the confiscation OF
American property by the Sovlets. The
Soviets may have some formula for
| working this out through cooperation
with the American Government Thus
credits are to be extended by the Recon-
strumtion Finance Corporation un-
doubtedly to the Moscow Trading Cor
poration for the purchase of commodi-
ties. Already a cotton loan Is In proc
ess. So it may be that financial ao-
iustments, taking care OF American
claimants, will become part OF general
financial plan which will follow formal
recognition.
As a matter Of fact. Russia needs
American products. America has sur
pluses to sell. Expansion of foreign
trade with Russia may help the N X
A. to bring that volume so much needed
to Justify the increases in wages.
ecognition of Russia Is unquestlon-
all desired by the President, FOR II
will help world peace and American
foreign trade And besides, France
Britain and all other important coun-
tries have recognized Soviet Russia and
have survived.
| (Copyright. 1?33D