IN THE SPRING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 26, 1 February 1916, Page 2

IN THE SPRING.

MILLIONS OP MEN FROM RUSSIA. CUTTING OUT GERMAN TRADE. "As with the law of physics, when a heavy forc e comes in contact with lighter force th e heavier must prevail, so it is with Russia and Germany. In t-he springtime Russia will comment to make herself felt,, when she will hav e tremendous forces behind her. I cannot tell how many—it is a secret. Such' were the cheering words delivered on board the steamer Khyber at Fremantle by M. Denissoff, who holds the exalted position of president of the export chamber of Russia. He is now on a tour of the Allied nations with the purpose of reporting on certain matters of economy connected with Russia. During one year before the war Russia's imports amounted to nine hundred million roubles, and of this 70 per cent, came from the' outside world, Germany principally, through Hamburg, as M. Denissoff himself pathetically put it. "With the commissions thus given to German}' we have built lovely wharves at Hamburg, we have built Germany's fleet, w e have paid for her secret agents throughout the world. We propose to do it no longer,'' and h£ banged his fist with much emphasis on the wooden railing.

"Our commercial treaty with Germany ends in 1917, and with Austria in 1918. We propose to deal direct with Allied nations after the war, and to form new commercial treaties with them. Already I have travelled through Japan, Java, India, and Ceylon. In the' past we have imported through Germany tea, cinnamon, and. spi'ees from India, and through Germany we imported from Australia wool and fat, from Java tobacco, from South America coffe. After leaving \ustralra I propose visiting North America,, where I hope to make arrangements for the trading of machinery with my country. Previously, Germany had the bulk of our machinery trade. I would like your traders if they have any complaint about dealings with Eussia, to make it to the Export Chamber of Eussia through their own Chp.mber of Commerce." The conversation then turned to war. "Are we going to win?"' asked the interviewer.

Not a whit taken aback by the bluntness of the uestior- M. Denisfoff replied quickly, "Yes, we are • going to win, and we are going to commence to win the. spring-time." Then he made the observations which opened th.is interview. "I am glad of the news you tell me of Eussia's offensive in Bukowina," h e continued. "As a matter of fact, the Bukowina army is entirely a new one, and quite apart from everything else its objective is Budapesth against the Hungarians, and you can depend that the movewould not be made unless they were sure of success. I cannot tell you ho<v many mil'lion men wi? have available foT fighting, but th 0 number is enormous. Previously we could not supply men as we wanted to, but ample munitions are coming from America and Japan, and everything Avill be ready by the spring-time. When I talk of the two opposing forces let me add the figures. Eussia has a. populatio of 170,000,000, fiv e million more come 'into being every year, and it is computed that 3 per cent, of new men are added to Eussia's population every year. This means that from about one and a half to two million young men come up for service each year in Eussia, and we hav e only called up t-he men whose ages range from 20 to 40 years. On the other hand,. Germany has only a population o£ 36,000,000 and she has called up all her men fr,om IS to 52 years. Yes, we must win emphatically. Man-power must toll. What are those boats?" he asked, pointing to two grey, business-looking ships lying in the harbour, He was informed that they were transports taking Australians to the front.

"How very interesting," he observer. "Do you know, the Australian has become greatly popular in Russia because of the wonderful fighting they did in the Dardanelles. England is thoroughly popular. The Russians recognise all she has done for us."