The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1929. TRADE WITH RUSSIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1929. TRADE WITH RUSSIA.

Tnii cordial welcome given to the British trade delegation in Mos-ow will probably j.ave the way, considers the “Lyttelton Times,’’ for happier relations between Britain and the Soviet Bepuhlic. When the idea was first mooted a lew months ago, of a deputation of British business men to visit. Russia io consider whether circumstances warranted an endeavour to resume trade relations, there was general approval throughout Great Britain, it is true a small section thought that as a nation we are inclined to judge the whole world, as though it were honest and logical, and for that reason we were not in a position to understand the political and official side of a people who had proved themselves to be our exact opposite. But the Russian market is probably the largest available to British industry, and it was felt that a calm and unprejudiced examination of the possibility of again opening it to British manufacturers was demanded hv every consideration of self-in-terest and common sense. Just before its defeat the Labour Government was negotiating two trade treaties designed to remove the outstanding difference between the two countries, but tin* Conservative Government on taking office broke off dip-loihatic relations with Moscow. The results were immediately felt in industrial circles, for. whereas in 1925-20 the Soviet organisations placed orders in Great Britain to the amount of of over £20,000.0(10, in 1927-28, their orders had fallen to a little less than £6.000,000. The attitude* of the Government practically amounteel to driving about £14,000,000 into foreign markets, and this at a period when British industry was severely, depressed anel elesperately in need of every order it could secure. The position in re-la lieu to Russia taken up by the. British Government might he considered sound wore there anV immediate possibility of the eollap.se of the present regime, lint, of that result tlie-re* are few shots. While the methods of government in the Soviet Republio are wholly opposed to British ideas, and are a continual incentive and pattern for the extreme section in every country. there is a strong hodv of opinion in the Old Country that there are matters that do not concern her manufacturers. Tn fact, the trade delegation to Russia is. in at. least one respect, n protest bv industrialists who bare seen 1-liei'r trade and their opportunities for trade sacrificed bv I,be noliev of ahv-l-noss adopted bv the Baldwin Govern. ne*nt. A leading T melon i'-nrn-d a T,t ' v said t hat “the linnl-eo-amt nimnlarh ,os of the. Soviet mav he removed bv contact with other countries but n-t. hv ostracism. Ostracism is a fine gesture, but a profitless policy.” There is. moreover, a shrewd suspicion that astute

foreign interests have been very active in preserving the breach between Russia and Great Britain. The morality of debt repudiation, the effect, of dangerous Soviet politieal propaganda, and die periodic revival of rumours of the Russian Government on the verge of collapse, have obviously retarded the resumption of trade relations. It is suspected that these rumours of the Soviet Republic nearing its end have been childly inspired in Berlin, and under cover of this smoke .screen Germany has made strenuous eilorts to capture the Russian market, with no small measure of success. The British trade delegation is now in Moscow to talk business, and as British business men they may lie relied upon to make the most of the op)) rtunity. While their visit is undoubtedly dictated by selfinterest, far wider results may. and probably will, ensure, and the resumption of diplomat ie relations between London and Moscow would be to tin 1 interests of both nations. A recognition of the fact that Russia needs British products and Britain needs the Russian market would be a satisfactory first step.