SOVIET RUSSIA.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17120, 15 April 1921, Page 7

SOVIET RUSSIA.

AUSTRALASIAN TRADE PROSPECTS. STATEMENT BY M. KEASSIN. (3y CaM»—Frew AsjocUtion—Copirrirfit.l (Australian and N ?. Cable Association.) LONDON*. April 13. M. Krassin, the Soviet trade emissary, interviewed regarding the possibilities of Russian trade with Australasia, said Russia was desirous of trading with Australia and New Zealand as well as with all tho other Dominions, as all were included in the Anglo-Rus-sian trade agreement. Russia wpuld like to buy metaU, meat, wool, and coal, provided the freight did not make the price prohibitive. For coal and metals Russia would pay in cash, but for other commodities she would require credit for from two to three years, perhaps longer, Some countries supplying Russia were giving four to five years' credit. Russia's, immediate requirements in coal were from 3,000,000 to 3,000,000 tons for Petro, grad and Odessa. The pofssibla Russian exports to Australasia were soft woods suitable for putter boxes, crude, ail, benamc, kerosene, lubricating oils, asbestos, and furs. Regarding tho ports of shipment, he thought ft possible, to send direct to Vladivostock. Siberia had been deprived of many commodities for several years, and the large towns like Tomsk and Irkutsk greatly needed many things that Australasia could supply. EimOING OFWO?SEES. SYDNEY, April 14. Siminoff, representative jn Australia Of the Russian Soviet, informed a deputation of unemployed artisans that his Government could absorb all the unemployed skilled in Australia, as there was a big shortage in Russia. [A previous message received said: A statement is officially made by the Trades Ball that a number of unemployed skilled artisans are going to Russia, where engineers, fitters, and others are in demand. The Amalgamated Society of Engineers has 600 idle en its books.] SOVIET'S CONFESSION OF FAILURE. A CHANGE OF I»QI»IOY. ("The Timet.") (Received April 15th, 1.85 a.W.) LONDON, April 14. The Helsingfors correspondent of "The Times" states that the bottom has been knocked out of Bolshevism aa the result of the Soviet's concession of free trade and its decision to 'substitute a produce tax in place of forcible requisitioning. Both decisions involve the recognition of private ownership, which is the antithesis of Communism. The peasants are responsibly for forcing the Government to abandon Its most cherished principles. Unable to forcibly retaliate, they adopted a policy of passive resistance by producing sufficient only for their own needs, with the result that the population of tho cities has been reduced to starvation and the economic life pf the country brought to a standstill. The continuance of this policy during the coming seeding season would have a catastrophic effect, hence the Government's complete change of front. "The Times" in a leader considers thai Lenin's explanation of the new system is a candid and unqualified confession that the dictatorship of the proletariat has proved a, disastrous failure* and that nothing remains but a, r&> versnl to the principle, pf Capitalism in Russian national life.