ALLIES AND RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 79, 28 December 1918, Page 7

ALLIES AND RUSSIA

HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

PEACEFUL PENETRATION

METHODS

If the Allies nro to gain the confidence Cf the Russian people and. secure their to-operation (writes a Russian correspw.d«nt to the "Manchester Guardian"), they must speak to them in α-diifarent language from that of Germany, and in a language plain ta a people just awakening to n t. !('■' • comprehension of their own. ways ;ti\i needs. They must tell Russia that they nre willing, first, to acquire knowledgo of the urgent needs of the masses; secondly, to satisfy these needs. The first step is to let tlio Russian people undertand—perhaps through President Wilson by a message from all the Allied peoples to the Russian peoplethat the Allies wish to know what are the present requirements of the population of every part of Russia in order to help to satisfy them. The message must be conveyed to all through.the Press, 'byword of mouth, through notices, leaflets, and pamphlets distributed over the vliole country. Following upon the message there must be a constructive . effort to build up the economic position-of Russia.

For this purpose it is desirable to start with an unofficial economic conference, composed of representatives of the large organisations.working for the people m Russia . (especially co-operative unions and trade unions, perhaps the most stable, economic organisations' in Russia at the present limp), and representatives of corresponding organisations among; the Allied peoples. No Russian Government would ha v o reason to raise difficulties in the way of such an unofficial non-Govern-mental conference, because the conference would have as its aim not the solving of the internal problems of Russia, but friendly, social, and economic co-opera-tion.

To consider the urgent preliminary measures and to prepare the cnnferencp.it would be well to'form' an Inter-Allied Economic Committee. The constitution of. the. committee is of the greatest importance. It is highly undesirable tlint members of any should take part. Tt would be vise to get representatives of co-operative societies and trade unions. These' rcpresentatiyoa would meet tho c<in'e>.ppnding representatives of similc.r Russian organisations. They would at once /win the confidence of the Russian i!eonle and guarantee that the object of the conference tois nnt only the material interests of tills or that .industry, but the economic and social ivellbeing of the peoples.

Co-operative Societies in Russia. .In Russia the co-operative movement, strong before the war, became a particularly important economic and 60cial factor after the .Revolution, and the importance of the movement is especially significant (it tho present time, aa it depends only to.a limited degree on political conditions. It is regulated by the economic needs" of the large masses; of the population. On January 1, 1917, there were 16,0,55 credit co-operative societies, 20,000 consumers' societies, 3000 creameries—a total of 17,255 co-operative societies of all kinds.. The membership of the co-oper-ative movement on January 1, 1917, was 13.1 millions, or"together with their families 67i million persons, equivalent to 39 per. cent, of tho total population. The growth of tho co-operative movement in Russia has not been stopped by the Bolshevist Revolution. . Oh the contrary, co-operative unions became the only power supporting- and regulating the economic life of Russia in tho most difficult conditions of exhaustion and disintegration. After the Revolution the co-operative societies amalgamated into more powerful co-operative unions. The number of large co-operative unions of co-operative societies in Russia on January 1, 1918, was about 800,' against some 300 on January 1, 1917, The co-operative societies in England might take the lead in the movement. The help of tho representatives of the Co-operative Society, the Wholesale Society, the Women's Co-operative Guild, etc., would be very useful. Perhaps a small committee of 00-ouerators in England, _ with . soiuo Russian co-operators working here, inigM' take' the initiative in summoning an inter-Allied committee of co-operalors to prepare the Economic Conference. It might even send a deputation to Kussja to explain, mors clearly the aims of the conference, acciuire 'a liist-hand knowledge of Russian conditions, and come into contact with the Russian local co-opewtivo organisations and professional unions.

Work of an Inter-Allied Committee. The Inter-Allied' Committee of Co-oper-ators and Trade Unions Committee might then elaborate a basis for the work of the Economic Conference of Reconstruction. It could, among other things, decide: (a) The place of meeting of the conference. (b) The steps necessary" for organising uigent help.' ;■, (c) The means of informing (1) the Russian people as to the' intentions and the -measures to be taken by the Allies, and (2) the Allies on the conditions and the needs of the Russian people. (tl) The financial problem and the possibilities of natural-exchange—that is, the exchange of products for products, which is now perhaps the- most practical form of exchange witli Russia. (e) The quantity and the quality of products at the disposition of the Allies for the purpose- of exchange. (f) The possibilities of transport. ■■ M ", he possibility of sending to Russia skilled workers, engineers, etc. (h) Generally the measures to be token to open up the economic intervention of the Allies in Russia.

The conference should be held in the near future, at the plnco fixed by the cfliimttee. We must know the special needs of thfi various parts of Russia. _ and . also tho different possibilities of exchange in this or that district. This knowledge can be acquired only through conference with til- delegates from the local population sent up especially for the purpose of explaining their conditions and suggesting the measures necessary for economic relations hetween Russia and the Allies. The. presence at the conference of the delegates of the • local organisations should give the best security that the products and goods sent by the Allies would indeed come into tho hands of the Russian population and not into those tl Germany The sending of relief supplies by the American Red Cross or Y.M.C.A. to Russia and also the assistance of private organisations of the Allied countries should 'be regarded as pioneer measures preparing tho ground for the work on a larger scale. Such proofs rf humanity and friendship arc very necessary in this most difficult transitional period, but they should bo regarded as >\ temporary and local form of assistance. The connection between tho peoples must be built on a large scale of international agreement and contact. The hitter will in its turn open out many possibilities of private and semi-private initiative. Tho ultimate co-operation of the Stales themselves is unavoidable and necessary. But remembering the psychological aiid political situation in Russia, this union of States must follow and not precede the relationship of the peoples and the linking up of those social .-.rgonisalionp which command the confidence- both of the masses and of their Governments.