CANADA ACTS

Evening Post, Issue 51, 2 March 1931, Page 9

CANADA ACTS

NO TRUCK WITH SOVIET

RUSSIAN GOODS BARRED ~

FORCED LABOUR USED

fnitcci Trcs3 Association—By Electric Tele- ' graph—Copyright. OTTAWA, 27th February. The importation into Canada irom Soviet" Russia of coal, woodpulp, pulpwood, lumber, timber of nil kinds, asbestos, and furs is prohibited by Or- . 'i der-in-Coiincil. Tho Minister of National Kevcnue, i tho lion.' E. B. Byckmaii, announced following a Cabinet meeting, that the Government was convinced that forced labour is boing used for the cutting and •transport of timber and for the mining iof coal. Ho added that tho Canadian Government is convinced that political prisoners arc being exploited, and that the j • standard of living is below any loyel conceived of in Canada. • Broadly speaking-, all employment is in tho control of the- Communist Government, | which regulates all the conditions and | gceka to impose its will upon the whole I •world. I "This.is Communism, its creed, and its fruits, which vrc as a country must oppose and refuse to support by any interchange of trade." The ban on Russian importations is strongly supported throughout the coun--1 • try and definitely disposes of the Soviet offer to buy 10,000,000 dollars worth of farm implements for 3,000,000 dollars worth of Eussian coal and the balanco in gold. c. ( Colonel H. .T. Mackic, who made the offer on behalf of the Soviet, declares that the embargo is an unfriendly gesture toward Eussia and kills any Canadian hopes for the Wheat Conference. Lumber, coal, and fur interests unitedly support the Government's action. Mr. Webb, Mayor of Winnipeg, suggests that the embargo be followed by a Dominion-wide round-up of all Communist agitators for cither imprisonmcrl or deportation. ys Tho re-entry of Russia into the field ■/ 'of wheat competition has meant threat- ' cned disaster to the Canadian West, ■whore a national "rebuilding the West" campaign is undpr discussion, «.nd where the farmers are constant in their pressure for political action. Tho 'entry of a Partners' Party to politics and threat of withdrawal from the fedoration have been two of the manifestations of this unrest. The world crisis lhas been felt very severely in the agricultural districts where wheat has been below cost, of production and ivhere Eussian prices have proved im- , rpossible of competition. . Tho cha.irman of the United States Farm Board recently advocated a courso similar to •that taken by the Canadian authorities. Dr. Marbutt, Chief of tho Division of Soil Surveys of tho United States Department of Agriculture, recently, stated that the area now sown in Eussia under the Five Year Plan, would probably mean an exportable surplus of •wheat amounting to 300 million bushels by 1933, a figure which was alarming. State grain, farms under • large-scale production now total 25 million acres, .in the opinion of Dr.'Marbutt, though ■testimony is -varied on this point. One thing appears clear—Eussia is now heading towards tho dominant position •which she occupied before the war. Tho following figures reveal'tho stato of affairs which has come into being since the revolution and lack of machinery—mechanical and marketing * and credit facilities—cut ■ down Eussia's trade:— Average Wheat Exports in Bushels. 1909-1914 192G-1927. Russia .. 153,000,000 49,000,000. Canada .. 94,000,000 294,000,000 TJ.S.A. .:. 107,000,000 198,000,000 Argentine . 82,000,000 139,000,000; Sensational statements have been published regarding the Eussian "convict" camps, but no Power had hitherto acted on them. Recently the British Prime Minister described the circulation of tho tales as "a political stunt." I In the middle of last year, the United States banned shipments of Eussian pulpwood, following representations by the American Federation of Labour, but the ban was lifted, possibly owing to a threat that: millions of dollars worth of orders far harvesting machinery would be cancelled by Amtorg (tho Russian trading agency). Xew regulations denying entry" to tho United States of goods mado by convict labour were is«ued last November, but President Hoover denied that they wore aim--1 ed at Enssia. "Wo have not, nor do ■we intend any conflicts with Eussia, but ton the contrary wo wish to carry on the usual trade -exchanges • with all na.tions," he said. ' '<.