A CHANGE OF METHOD.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3409, 13 February 1920, Page 4

A CHANGE OF METHOD.

._____.¢_______ The Russian problem is solving itself. Mr Lloyd George has said what he would -like to do with the 801sheviks,*at the same time he frankly admits that neither France, Italy, America or Britain has the Inomy to spare wherewith to gratify his wishc-.=. But why have the desire ‘ro put a ring of fire around Bolshevisni wliifle pca~celful_, {humane miethods of Bhililling it down are admittedly available. Everybody and ever-ytliinrg seems to be full to' the brim with desire for 1 war, and primed to go elf at any 1110ment; if it is not international fightling it is iniernecine strife. ‘The sup- ‘ remely overwhelming advlantage of the [new idea, put forih by Mr "Lloyd I George, is that it is p‘eaceful and pro~ fitable from the start; it is pregnant i with all the possibilities of strangling

interneeine tumultousness of l.'.ll‘olll' éliitl capital, while it is calmly and quietly operating towards a cessation of those blood-eurdling tragedies thg world is regaled with from time to time. The secret. is ‘industry and trade, peaceful, honest. barter, and so long as this barIter is kept well within the realm of honesty there will be nothing‘ to fflfll‘ From Bolslievism or labour generally. The subject of Bolslievisni is too great it mental Strain even for Mr Lloyd George ’s prodigious, electric brain,; and his uttenaxiees there anent are: i somewhat frothy. He stated, last Tues- ‘ day, that, “Russia must be restored under an Anti—Bolshevist regime.”l and then goes on to admit, “it. is pcr- I feetly clear that Bolshevism was not erushable by force of arnis.” He ‘tells i us that diabolical as Bolshevism is, the l Anti-Bolshevik volunteer army‘ is worse, and instead of conquering 80lSIICVISIII they are driving the whole population into the ‘arms of Lenin and T'l‘otsk.V ‘-for Pl'o‘tectiox; of life and [)I'OPCI"‘V- AS we have said, why uSe| cannons, swords, and bayolmts in kil_l ling Off R-11SSi&ns that are quite tame-l able and made tractable it‘ approar-,lled" with offers of trade? Why <le.<t‘—.'o_y with the sword what can bu built up’ and made useful in rescuing peoples from famine by trade. There is some. thing marvellously appealing abnfit Ml. Lloyd George’s alternative to putting a ring of fire around Bolshcvism. He agrees “that Europe Cannot be restored without putting Russian resourcesv into circulation.” He preferred to: do it by conquest, but as that method involved self-destruction, he advocates the substitution of trade. Why not?

Whatever supplies Russia possesses of wheat, butter, and numerous other food products, as Well as raw niaterial, is available at once to stem the W9a,ve of famine that in some countries is bringing death to millions of women and children. We stand to the taming of the Bolsheviks by trade because it is the humane method, and because it involves neither the death of the Russian nor the British trader with Whom it is proposed to face him. Wheat from Russia will make bread saleable at a price poor ‘people can. pay, an\d it will make the Russian people friends instead of enemies. This is of some considerable moment to the masses of the world, For Lloyd George has said that “Europe cannot be restored without putting Russian resources into circul'a.tion’.’ There is only one honest method of putting those mighty resources into circulation, and that is by fair purchase or just barter. It is a method having a double-barrelled advaiitage, for thfie Russians prefer_to take British goods in exchange rather than money. Russian. resources constitute the Aladin’s Lamp that is going to work wonders for the benefit of civilisaton; meanwhile Russians will become more enlightened arid educated, enabling a clearer political Vision; which, again, will operate -towards the establishment of a stable, peaceful, progressive governing system. We expect much from izhe lapplieation of Mr Lloyd. George’s new specific for ‘the cure of the Bolshevik cancer and we are convinced that we shall not be disappointed.