Evening star., 1934-04-29
RUSSIANS HOPE
FOR j. S. CREDIT
Editorial Expects Johnson
Act Restrictions Will
Be Removed.
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, April 28.-Hopes that
johnson act restrictions on credit to
the Soviet Union will be removed
through personal Intervention of
President Roosevelt were expressed
today in a leading editorial in the
newspaper For Industrialization. chief
economic organ of the Soviet gov
eminent.
Calling attention to the predictions
OF some American newspapers that
the President may alter the effect of
the new law in so far as 1t applies
to this country, the newspaper says:
whether this is true or not, we
know President Roosevelt to be an
outstanding statesman. possessing
special faculties. as already has been
manifested in the establishment of
normal relations between the United
States and the Soviet Union.
When complications arise he can
quickly and easily decide what can
not be decided by different organs
OF the state apparatus
Objects to Term Defaulter.
The newspaper objects to the classi-
fication of the Soviet Union as
defaulter under the terms of the
johnson act, which forbids the exen-
sion of credit to countries in default
on obligations to the United States.
The newspaper reiterates the con-
tention that the Soviet Union never
assumed responsibility for the debts
of the KerenSky government to the
United States
But even If these debts were con-
sldered an obligation, the editorial
asks. Does the matter concern claims
OF such magnitude as to justify an
impeachment to the promising Soviet
American trade?
Suppose the u S. S. r. agreed to
recognize the Kerensky debts subject
to negotiation, what is the sum in
volved? We are told it is S187 900 900
minus s30,oOO,OOO repaid to the United
States
Claim Sill, 100000 Fund.
Declaring that records show that
the Russian embassy in Washington
was in possession of S171 100000 at
the beginning of 1921, the editorial
stated that instead of sequestering
this sum to cover the Kerensky debt,
the United States Government con-
tlnued to recognize the diplomatic
agent 3akhmeteff as the representa-
tive OF non-eXistent government and
permitted him to spend this money
Tor armament and credits for Kolchak.
Deniken and other White Guard gen.
erals who were fighting against Russia.
Ic
masses of the U. S. S. R. are to be
asked to pay for bullets fired at them?
We have too high an opinion of the
American public's sense of justice and
the political acumen of President
Roosevelt to think such thing"
The editorial cites that the United
States Government itself did not as
sumo responsibility for debts con-
tracted by Confederate States during
the Civil War, implying that the So
Wet government has right to do the
same thing on the basis of American
participation in the Intervention in
Northern Russia and in furnishing
supplies to the White generals.
If all this is considered" the edi-
torial continued, lit becomes clear that
the matter concerns quite Insignificant
and problematic claims Is there any
economic and political sense therefore
in such an attempt Through the
johnson act) to bring pressure on the
Soviet Union-an attempt doomed to
failure beforehand?
This is matter of great political
ilnportance-a determination whether
a strong material foundation is to be
established under political rapproach-
ment between two great countries"