Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-06
Russia Bids for Trade

The Soviet Union is dangling a tempting
lure before nonC Communist nations In its pro-
poSals for sharply increased trade across the
Iron Curtain. While the most spectacular of
these-an 'offer" Of more than 81 billion in con-
tracts with British industry over O. three-year
periods still far from actual trade, several
other agreements are at considerably more
advanced stage. Among these are deals with
Finland, Argentina, Norway and Sweden.
It Is understood, Of course, by those who are
parties to these agreements that there are many
difficult steps between understandings with the
Soviet Foreign Trade Ministry and the actual
transactions in money and goods. Private enter
prise, not government controls commerce in
the non-Communist countries and it is inter-
eSted in buying or selling only at profitable
prices and not for political purposes. The Reds,
while clearly engaged in trade offensive that
they hope may tend to split the United States
from its Western allies, are still hard bargainers
and difficult customers to satisfy. Furthermore,
most of the Western nations being wooed by
the Communists are still abiding by the restric-
tions against shipment of strategic goods behind
the Iron Curtain. spokesman for the British
Board Of Trade already has commented in con-.
nection with the current offer that increased
trade would be welcome provided it is within
the non-strategic fleld.s British authorities are
on record as pledging there will be no unilateral
relaxation by them of the export controls on
strategic goods
There are, however some fundamental fac
tors constantly working on the side of expand
ing EaSt-WeSt trade. Quite apart from what
Soviet Russia or its satellite countries may want
or need from the West, there are reverse attrac-
tionS that cannot be wiped out by simple polit-
ical edict. Britain. for example, depends upon
the Soviet Union for approximately fifth of it's
timber imports and about third of its grain
imports. Other West European nations buy
these same commodities from behind the Iron
Curtain and some depend heavily upon Russian
coal. Chrome, tungsten and manganese all are
purchasabe from Russia. In order to buy the
Western nations must also sell-and the East
offers at least limited market for many of the
goods, even in the non strategic category which
the West produces and cannot sell as readily
elsewhere
At the same time, there is danger in the
illusion that trade with the Soviet bloc can be
relied upon as dependable contributor to the
Western economy. AS the United States Council
Of the International Chamber of Commerce
recently said:
The Soviets and their satellites can offer
outlets for certain (Western) industries. .
However, it would be foolish and indeed sui
cidal to depend for the prosperity Of such in
dustries on the good will of totalitaran gov
ernments which can just as easily turn of
trade as they can turn it on.
1t is, then, problem that might best be
handled on deal-by-deal basis in which the
objective is a net gain for the West. This, in
fact, is substantially the point of view of our
own Government as we'll as that of some of our
allies. Secretary Of State Dulles told the House
Foreign Affairs. Committee last year that the
administration is not urging curtailment of
East-West trade in Europe despite pressures
to do sol because 1--WE believe that trade. under
certain conditions, can be carried on more to
our advantage than to our disadvantage"