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OVERSEAS TRADESOME THOUGHTS ON RESUMPTION OFTRADE WITH RUSSIABy W. C. HuntingtonCommercial Attache, in Charge Russian Division, U. S. Department of CommerceEVEN before our entrance into thewar interest in trade with Russia wasi uniting high. After the revolution ofMarch, 1917, and the establishment of anenlightened provisional government ofRussia, many of us hoped that, with theremoval of bureaucratic men and methods,the development of American-Russiantrade relations would now go forwardintensively. We did not foresee that avast people, with no experience of liberty,faced by an economic crisis and workedupon constantly by an army of agitators,could not immediately maintain democraticequilibrium. In the disintegrationwhich marked the period of the regimeof the provisional government, Americanbusiness firms, which had meanwhile sentsome very excellent men to Russia, foundno solid basis for the establishment ofbusiness relations nor assurance for thefuture. Most, therefore, returned homedisappointed. The only business done atthis period was of a speculative character,where daring Russian brokers and merchantsbought for cash, taking large risksfor the sake of the great profits whichstaple articles commanded in a famishedmarket.Finally, in November, came the Bolsheviki,seizing the government and makingfurther business impossible, because directedagainst all business, and with capacityonly to propagandize, not to construct.Nevertheless, in spite of all disappointments,the interest of modern Americanbusiness men of world vision in Russia isvery live to-day. They feel instinctivelythat a country nearly three times the sizeof the continental United States and havingalmost twice our population, of goodwhite stock, must eventually presentgreat business opportunities.Conditions are now ripe, not for falseillusions, but for active study of the Russiantrade problem, and the letters whichare daily coming to the Department ofCommerce of our Government indicatethat business men are asking the followingprincipal questions:1. What is the present situation?2. When will it be possible to do business?3. How must one go about it?4. What lines of business does Russianeed?5. How can the goods be shipped andpayment in dollars obtained?In the following we shall try to answerthese questions in the light of two years'experience in Russia, ending last fall,and of reports constantly received eversince:It will not be inappropriate at thispoint to review the political situation inRussia in so far as it bears upon business,since it varies in the different parts of theformer empire.Poland and Finland are excluded because,although they will undoubtedlyhave in the future close business relationswith Russia, their independence has beenacknowledged and both have achievedprovisional governments, which havebeen recognized by the United States.131