The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-10-30
Great BRITAIN,
GERMANY BEAT
u. S. IN RUSSIA
America Is Running Poor
Third in Fight for Soviet
Trade.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIAINIS
Seripps- Howard Foreign Editor


WASHINGTON. Oct. 80. - Hag-
Cling over credits and debts still
threatens permanently to cripple
American trade with Soviet Russia
and turn over the lions share of
this business to Great Britain. Ger
many and other countries.
During the first seven months OF
1884, Great Britain increased her
lead over the United States. and so
did Germany. The United States
was poor third.
Great Britain sold the Soviet
union nearly Sl3,000000 worth Of
goods; Germany about Sl00O0,000
worth and the United States APP
proximately S5,50O,OO0 worth at par
rate of exchange.
Somewhat later figures published
by Amtorg, Soviet trading agency
in this country, show orders placed
during the first nine months of this
year amounting to S6,669,3
For the corresponding period of
last year the figures were 1913, 993,
representing an increase for this
year of 10 per cent.
little Comfort to U. S.
This. however, affords American
business and industry small COM
fort. Soviet American business was
so negligible in 1888 that 1884 might
show 500 per cent increase and
still not amount to much.
Automotive- aero transport equip
ment represented more than half of
the SOviet'S orders placed in the
United States. That is significant.
Soviet Russia now is bending
every effort to improve her trans
port system = rail. water, highway
and air.
President Ralph Budd of the Bur-
lington lines. after a personal sur
vey, estimated that merely to put
existing railway lines in shape would
cost Russia S2,500,O0O000, and an
additional billion would be required
to give her the $4,000 more miles
now needed.
Anxious to Buy
Russia is known to be eager to
complete this Job as soon as posi-
bic. She fears war in the far east
and without adequate transporta-
ton she realizes she would be Sc
riously handicapped.
RuSSia's whole economic advance
ment is largely dependent upon ade-
quate transportation. Without it,
all the ordinary peace-time en-
deavorS are badly crippled.
The everyday needs of the Soviet
Unions 165,0OO,OOO people can not
be met fully for sheer lack of con-
SumerS goods. There is great lack
of clothes, shoes, houses, needles
and thread, frying pans, plows.
sewing machines and Whatnot.
Russia Needs Machinery
Russia needs to import such
goods. She needs raw materials.
She needs railways and rolling stock
to distribute the things for which
there is an Unsuitable domestic de-
mand.
A few years hence, Russia more
or less will have caught up with the
demand. She will continue to i'm
port because her standards will rise.
But the countries which get in on
the ground floor now will be the
ones that will get business in the
future.
But trade negotiations between
Washington and Moscow are dead
locked. They have been deadlocked
for months. Washington insists on
the Russian (Kerensky) debts being
paid before it will sell Russia any,
thing. And Moscow insists that ade-
quate long-term credits be advanced
before she places any really big or
ders.
John Bull is going after Soviet
orders. The Soviet Union owes him
$40 for each dollar she owes Uncle
Sam. But he is not allowing that
to stand in the way Of selling Brit
iSh goods.