The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. Saturday, October 25th. 192-1. soviet VIEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. Saturday, October 25th. 192-1. soviet VIEWS.

In dealing with the Russian treaty proposals, the Lyttelton “Times” icier-, to the expressed attitude of Xinovielf, alias Aplell.aiim, alias Shatsky, alias RadoiuysUky, alias Shatsky, alias Grigorielf, one of the Soviet lenders who is chielly interesting to Englishmen hem use he so bitterly bates their country and has taken so many opportunities <>l venting bis spite against the British nation. He was president of the famous ‘’Third .International” tit Moscow, and in the earlier dnys-of the liolshevik regime was dictator of I'etrngrad, where his administration wits characterised by a bloodthirsty brutality that left little doubt as to bis mental condition. This gentleman lias made a number of statements concerning the Russian Treaty and the manner in which it was arrived at. That lie spoke "ith malice, both towards Mr Ramsay MacDonald and towards Britain, is obvious. Imt. lie sanl nothing that lias not Been said liv Mr .MacDonald's political epponcuts many limes Before. Such evidence as is availa'Ble supports the charges.

There never was a more unsatisfactory piece of diplomacy than the Russian Treaty nor a more obvious piece of politi-

cal trickery and make Believe. Mr Llovd (ieorge called it a. “gigantic fake.” A study of the treaty itself Bears out this description. The outstanding questions lie't'ween Britain and Russia were the acknowledgment of Russian indebtedness, the matter of Bolshevik propaganda. and tlie Russian request for a loan. As to Russian indebtedness, the British (Bivernment advanced during the Great War, sums aggregating .£(>50,000,060; sterling bondholders claim £60.000 XOO and. rouLle bondholders £30,000,000. British property in Russia expropriated by tile Bolsheviks is valued at £180.000.009, and there is a mass of miscellaneous claims, tor losses of personal property, nonpayment for goods supplied, and damages for personal injuries sustained at the hands of the Soviet Government. All that, is done by the Treaty is that the British Government ‘'recognises that lull satisfaction of the claims is ini-

praotnen'lile” and the Soviet Government declares that it will “satisfy all claims”, but the actual terms are reserved for negotiation and are to 'be included in a second treaty. As to propaganda there is an engagement by the Soviet Government to abstain from propaganda, but there was a similar undertaking made in the llorne-Krassin trade agreement and it was violated Before the ink was dry on the paper. As to the loan, the British Government undertakes that if and when an agreement is reached on the debt claims they will recommend the guarantee of a loan to Russia, But all details—amount, terms, condition and purposes—of the loan are left for future consideration. The candid Af. Zinovieff has made very clear the attitude of the Soviet Administration in respect to a foreign loan. Speaking in April of this year, while the negotiations wore proceeding in London, he said:—“The Communist Party is not opposed to the introduction of foreign capital into Russia. T.et England offer us a loan of £500,000.000 and they will see how much we hate foreign capital. Tf capital wished it. we will guarantee that there will he no revolution in Russia, hub we will not guarantee that

revolutions will not take place in other countries. MacDonald was once one of Lenin’s disciples, like the rest of us. Therefore he knows the power of

the Communist movement. He will not ask guarantees from us for the repayment of loans, and we will not give

guarantees.” Mr MacDonald said, prior to those negotiations, that lie would “stand no monkey tricks from the Soviet.” That was not the language of diplomacy, hut it yas very apt. The utterances of Zinovieff and of some of his coleagues are full of a sort of simian impudence, and this engaging quality, by nil accounts, was made so-evident during the conference in London that it was clear no real agreement was possible with such people. There has never been any clear account of what transpired, hut. as far as can be ascertained, tbe only definite offers bv the .Soviet delegates were to pay £6,000X00 nut of £-10.000.000 owing to the sterling bondholders, and £10.000,000 as compensation for £IBO.000,000 worth of property confiscated. As a further condition to this settlement of claims, a loan was to be .grant ed to the Soviet Government. And, of the promised payment only a fraction would be made at once and the

rest paid in small annual instalments out of the difference between the low rate of interest at which the Soviet Government borrowed from the British Government, and the high rate at which they re-lent in Russia. Even that olfer was not very firmly made, ami, in short, there was no basis for a settlement of any of the questions outstanding. If the faked treaty that was produced was not a sop to tho pro-Bolshevik Clydesiders of .Mr MacDonald’s following, as Zinovieff fluid it was, then it had not even the grace of a rational excuse. However, tho whole subject we may he sure is being thrashed out in fullest detail on tho hustings in the British elections now proceeding at Home.