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Show ? Russian Optimists By Frederic J. Haskia. ., NEW YORK. Nov. 13. The American branch of tho Russian soviet has been here only since last April, but already it has become noticeably Impregnated with the native American optimism. Americans went about during the darkest dark-est days of the war In the firm and unshakable un-shakable belief that we would win that, being Americans, nothing under the sun could defeat us. Well, the representatives of the Russian soviet in this country gazed with admiration upon the results or this attitude, and evidently decided to adopt It. They believe persistently and consistently. consis-tently. In the face of all odds, that the soviet must triumph In Russia, because it seems to them to bo the best form of government for that country; that the allied governments are slowly but surely coming to see that fact, and that American Ameri-can business men have seen it from the very beginning. "We have every reason to believe that the allied blockade against the Russian soviet government will soon be lifted, declared one of Its representatives at the ; American headquarters at 110 West Fortieth For-tieth street here the other day. Ho "was a slight, blond man, with a straight, neat military carriage, and he wore Immaculate clothes, and even a clean collar. As a Bolshevist, after what one has been led to expect from some of our cartoons, he was a bitter disappointment. The only thing that was the least bit wild about him was his necktie, and that was distinctly American. With a very much manicured fingernail, he pointed to a cou-plo cou-plo ot paragraphs In some recent news dispatches. "You see." he said in slow, hut perrect, English, "the British house of commons has voted to withdraw British military support from the opposers of the soviet government. There Is even widespread talk In England at present concerning an economic mission from Great Britain to Russia. "The truth Is tliat business Interests all over the world are beginning to get Impatient Im-patient with the failure of revolutionary leaders. Russia Is now the most profit-able profit-able market In the world, and its door Is being kept locked without accomplishing results. American business men are anxious anx-ious to see tho blockado lifted. We have in our files there" he pointed to some Utrgt filing cases "over a thousand let- . ters from American firms, giving price lists on their goods and inclosing ca,a- logues and provisional contracts. They would ship us the material we need now. but your government, for diplomatic rea- j sons, has decided that it is best not to grant any export licenses for shipments to Russia at present." It was to establish friendly trade relations rela-tions between American business and the Russian soviet government that this , American branch was established last t spring. L. Martens, who was appointed chairman of the bureau, was also made the official representative of tho Russian soviet in this country, but his credentials ; have never been acknowledged by our ; stale department. Instead, the amhassa-dor amhassa-dor who was sent over to represent the Kerensky regime is still being recognized j as the official agent of Russia. In keeping with Its general optimism, the soviet bureau does not object to this. I for It argues quite sensibly that It would not do It any good to have a represenla- , live In Washington under the circum- j stances. It has. according to its members, mem-bers, achieved what it set out to accomplishnamely, accom-plishnamely, to gain Ihe support of American business. When Mr. Martens was sent to this ouniry, the soviet government set aside 1 t:00.000.000 in go!d bullion to be placed , In American banks and to be drawn on 1 for the purchase of agricultural Implements, Imple-ments, locomotives, foodstuffs, machinery and clothing for Russia. But Russian ports were blockaded before this money could be brought through. The soviet bureau, however, went to work gathering all the necessary Information as to where these supplies could best be purchased. Just as if It had the money safe tn New York, so that the moment the blockade Is lifted it will be able to telegraph Its orders and secure rush shipments. The blockade has also prevented any accurate Information concerning the situation sit-uation In Russia from coming through. Occasionally a message Is brought across by an elusive carrier, but nothing very Important. The bureau bases Us optimistic optimis-tic conclusions concerning a forthcoming in line 01 inr niwniur irom ..innivai, iini foreign news dispatches, which It carefully care-fully studies with the a'd of a map. F.vans Clark, former Princeton university univer-sity professor. Is taking a large part In ths commercial activities of the bureau. As evidence that the soviet government Is making progress toward recognition, he mentions the manifest collapse of the entire allied military and diplomatic policy pol-icy In Russia. Originally tireat Britain. France and the V'nlled Stales sent troops Into Russia actually to assist in advances into soviet territory, hut one by one each nation has found It advisable to curtail this military sggresslon scheme. United States troops were the first to leave North Russia. Some of our troops are still In South Russia to keep open the truns-Siberiati railroad and to prevent Japan from gaining a dangerous foothold, foot-hold, but their activities are purely defensive. de-fensive. (reat Uritaln has now followed the exaniplA of the l'nitc,l States, and hag also withdrawn Its troops from the north. Gradually, according to the bureau, all of the Baltic states are becoming more friendly to the soviet government, for the reason thst the allies' favorite generals have been able to give no satisfactory pledges as to the future independence of these small nations, whereas the soviet go eminent has managed to make itself convincing In Its promises of separate autonomy. au-tonomy. Anyway, the bureau chainis thst (lie I'lirslnlans are making no effort to atop no v tot npilnliiiis In (lie iouth. w linie many of tho peiti:inti are forming Muall MUldOi lon t on KU0I rllla warfar. Tho romiltrt of iho ontl-Hoviot cam-pa cam-pa tn;m. Mrrordtus to tho bureau,. M 111 leave I he no v let govern ni out In control of a populntlon of ROO.o66.OM people. The situation In Interior Rutla is a till de-plniJihle. de-plniJihle. Thero 1 actual atarvatlott In Potrovrad. and ufforlng thnmghont tho entire contitry, Thl, they an'. la lnrge'y duo fo tho unforlunate vtote of t!io Ung portotlon IVMOtn, whUh btgon during the regime f the i-inr, grew worne under Ke-rtniky'a Ke-rtniky'a regime, and wan Inherited the Hoiabo tki. Hut, according to the bureau, tontllt lona are gradually Improving. Improv-ing. SlmuUnneouHlv with tho nortbwoat Yu-donlteh Yu-donlteh drive, the allied government a note to the neutral QOUUtrHMi Including tiermany Mid Annlrln. Mktng tbem to pari irlpate in tho blockade of RUMlan port a. In anawor to tbta the Qerman foreign in In letter la aald to have inn do a apeei'h. dialing that tJermnny was oppofttd to tho hiookading or ny civilian populations popula-tions and that the prooonl blockado waa nlaclnR n groat hardthto on the entlro RUMtgn population, aa well aa the Bol hovtgt, Thla newa baa been rcoehed Wttb mn.ti In tar oil by tht eovltj buroaui which aeoa in it grtal slgnlfloanci Thli waana," iayi Prof Moor ClarK. "thai tireat Britain and Kram'p Imve ptayOd their last -ard agatnil Ibe NOVUI regime. They would not aak t ho aaatatanoe m t tor many and Anal rla OXOOpI a n hi at reaorl. "The WO fnetora whh'h were relied upon to OVertum the aovlet rule mill t ni y aggreaalon and thr hlo. kado bavt pro ved fn llnrea. Tho at a go la now aot for h complete raveroaJ of the glllad poi loy, if Oerntany li to be prevented irojn gettJlUJI 1,1 nd gruhhtng Iho heal Rus- lan marketti the otlior nation muat net. and act qUlokl) , Thla view of ibe altuation, aa ant forth by the EtUttlan bureau, mav DTOVi t. b correct, or it may be only i reflection ol a mtrloan opl imiam. |