Evening star., 1933-11-12
Political and Economic Agree
ment Reported Discussed
With Roosevelt.
MOST FAR-REACHING
TREATY IN EXISTENCE
Would Apply to Trade Practices as
Well as Tending to Pre-
vent War.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN,

A political and economic non-aggres-
sion pact between the United States
and the Soviet Republics, the first one
of its kind to be agreed upon between
nations, is reliably reported to form
the main topic of discussion between
President Roosevelt and Maxim Litvin-
of. the Soviet commissar for foreign
affairs.
The other questions, such as the
Communist propaganda in the United
states. the pre-revolutionary debts and
the conflscated American property in
Russia, which had heretofore formed
the main obstacles to Russias recog-
milton by the United States, are dealt
with principally by the State Depart
ment experts. They are expected to
form the subject of protracted negotia-
tions, even after an agreement in prin-
ciple on these matters has been reached
and official recognition has been ex-
tended to the Soviet Republics.
The President naturally is keeping in
close touch with the developments re-
garding these questions discussed be-
tween the State Department and Lit
vinoi, but the reason why no con-
elusive announcement has been made
yet is due to the fact the conversations
regarding the aggression pact must
necessarily be slow and complicated.
May Delay Sailing Date.
1t is expected in official quarters that
Litvinoff will not be able to sail next
Wednesday, as he had originally
planned, but will have to remain in
Washington at least until toward the
end Of the next week The Russians
are particularly desirous of having some
definite compromise regarding the pact,
which is considered in well-informed
quarters as one of the most tangible
consequences Of the recognition of the
Soviet Republics by the United States.
The idea of political and economic
non-aggression pact was put before the
President by the Russians and It Is
likely 1t will meet, in general lines, with
Mr.. Roosevelt's approval.
Ever since the failure Of the London
Economic Conference, the President has
been endeavoring to bring about recip-
rocal trade agreements with various
countries. So far, his efforts have met
with little success. Conversations are
partment and Portugal and Sweden, but
no headway has been made even with
those small countries Another set of
negotiations has been inaugurated with
some Of the South American republics;
these direct negotiations will be neces-
sarily suspended to wait for the out
come of the Montevideo Conference
The Russians have come to Washing
ton with a constructive idea, which, II
1t materializes, will set an example to
the world to avoid future economic
conflicts. The general idea seems to
be that there will come time when
Russia, thanks to the support Of the
United States in the rebuilding of its
economic SYSTEM will be in a position
to compete with this country. In order
to avoid future frictionS, especially to
prevent economic disputes from having
serious political consequences, the
Soviets desire an agreement with the
United States to be embodied in an
economic non-aggreSSion pact.
II will be difficult to define precisely
what constitutes economic aggression
but it is believed some general defini-
ton can be agreed upon. A commercial
treaty could be drafted afterward on
the basis of the agreement entered upon
for economic non aggression.
The existing political non-aggression
pact signed between France and the
Soviet republics on November %, 1882,
could be taken as a basis for discus
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