THE RUSSIAN ENVOY.

Southland Times, Issue 18851, 17 June 1920, Page 4

THE RUSSIAN ENVOY.

M. Krassin’s repudiation of his country’s liabilities is not calculated to assist the negotiations in Britain for a resumption of trade, and his attitude seems to be rather inconsistent with that of April last when he was starting on his mission as the Soviet’s Commercial Agent. M. Krassin was interviewed in Stockholm and then declared that "contrary to what has been published in Fiench newspapers, we do not refuse to recognise Russia’s debt to France. Doting the negotiations that will be the subject of a special discussion.’’ Now that he is in London, however, M. Krassin is prepared to repudiate these debts nr to acknowledge them as little as possible. His alternative to repudiation is the acceptance of all Russia’s commitments with all the territory guaranteed to her by the Allies during the war. This is, of course, diplomatic sparring and will not carry the negotiations very far. M. Krassin is on hb present mission because Russia requires material from the "capitalistic nations.” He was quite frank about the matter in April. Then he stated that Russia, before she could hope to export much, must have manufactured goods and railway material, and later she would be able to send in exchange for these millions of tons of wheat, wood, minerals and hides to even (he rate of exchange. Russia’s urgent need is material for the restoration of her lines of communications and agriculture anti other -table industries on modern lines. In order to secure thc.-o (lungs (he Soviet agent .-aid that his government was prepared to do many things. Propaganda in foreign countries was to be abandoned, but the position of the Bnlsheviki was not to be mis-undor.-ioocl. M. "Krassin said that Russia

v/aiiUdi poacu. ‘‘We want peace with everybody, but we are its much enemies of German capitalism as of French capitalism,” he mid. "We arc engaged in a struggle with every country in which capitalistic exploitation is the basis of institutions.” At the same time M. Krassin said that he considered it possible and desirable that commercial relations lie re-established between Soviet Rus.-ia and the rest of the world. "We will not indulge in propaganda, but we will remain faithful to nur ideals,” he said. "This is the situation: A Socialist State in the midst of capitalistic Europe will not: be any more paradoxical than was democratic France allied to Czarist Russia.” Wo see here a desire on the part of the Soviet "to live and let live,” so long as the Soviet can Hit. M. Krassin in London, however, was hardly so moderate, and it looks ns if the chances of a settlement are small. There is yet time, however, for a change of front by the Russian envoy. 11 is behaviour so far suggests that while he is ■ "Iking with considerable force, lie, is keeping the discussion alive and proposing new bares for bargaining. If the "capitalistic” nations co-operate in this matter the financial is--ues may be straightened out. At one time there was a suggestion that the United Slates was trading with Soviet Rusia but the charge has not been substantiated and we must hope that untied action in dealing with M. Krassin will lead to a

more reasonable view of a country’s rerpon,dirties for her deb's to other lands. With • I. ".i knotty question settled, the trade nc--11;;tions may proceed smoothly, anil of dial we have not yet lost hope.