The Daily Worker Newspaper, August 8, 1925, Page 11

the . Nineteen Miners’ Fe- rs’ Federa- 1921. Vice- | several parlia- lect3d for North ene‘al secretary 0 Msport and ion.| Now secret- intetnational De- ramated Union. on congress gen- 322, Member of mittee, trades 4. * associated” with s since 1884, In- | and leaders of ich as William and other pio- ated with prince until his: return pioneer of shop founder of Shop Official of this il retirement as Union Delegation = Thru Courtesy of the International Pub... lishers Co. d Copyright in the United States by the International Publishers Co, All Rights Reserved. Copyright by the Trades Union Congress General Council in Great Britain, In the absence of any later information, the financing of to a»position and power prejudicial to the Soviet system and foreign trade in 1922-23 during transition to may be of interest :— . Indirect Financing: : : Millions The Commissariat of Foreign Commerce of R.QF.S.R. and the Ukraine aml special Ukraine organizatifns..,..... about $0 Mixed Companies with Foreign an Russian Capital...... ciate: «| Cooperatives, Centrosoyouz, Selskosoyouz, ete oc vi National Trusts, Syndicates, cte..........-................ 5 80 Organizations for raw ‘materials (Gusribprom, Centrokish- DIGS, UNDINRS WE Se eee, ree i eek: tiie: | BOM s 3 dosh cmt sapinpi ne MOs e US GN ORs DRakcoe eh ok occas « Poe Direct Financing Under Budget. Waser ‘Wont: Th WmnOreh, «62-34 4h i gibe ss dlceiek s vuhck esis cc sae Credit Loans for Imports baat. | ‘Financing of Grain; Bxportation:.........-ccccecccecseece “ 24 aA. UMEMcalllbinel ssRacwabh oo lemssncioc.. co. “87 3 4 . Export Import Credits Crevits . Russian Credits and Overdrafts: PeMSIONL TIRRR CGORDABE) 005.511 ik pccucando cdo ocunicene 68 51 Angustrial Rank (Promtank):... 2 oo... ccc ccoccesmccece 12 6 Russian National Bank (Rosskombank) .......esceeees 4 4 Totals Note: Of this 61 millions for Imports, 78 per cent was for financing textiles. Foreign Credits: Millions Foreign official agencies (Torgpredstva) about 30 Foreign agency in London (Arcos) yas |: Total . SS Note: Of the above 46 millions, 30 millions were financial credits from foreign banks, the remainder commercial credits. NP RO 60 aici sees oo seks hess ce eet a eee 458 millions The excéss of about 50 millions in this total over that of the total value of trade is explained by the financing of operations -in the following year. This being the first year of the system there was no Corresponding carry-over from prévious years. Trade Turnover The term of Russian credits is mostly for six months, but export credits: run up to eleven, and overdrafts are generally for three months; foreign credits are mostly for four months. «On this basis we can calculate the respective capital employed in foreign commerce:— © 00.0 Were) e 66 pe eo CO eb 5s 006 ble ees O80 cbeesees Gold roubles er twelve yearst>:) ix?* ‘Working capital about. .........0.ccccceecececs 150,000,000 19245¢Elected teji20qg sit} National capital about ..........ccccccccocvecs 87,000,000 s ution cdugresintvoo LsisoBanks, Russian and Foreign.............seuess 115,000,000 a ngress:each year" >* , tea uae ' 5 beg Ae ERIE S Fa xP OP RTE oC ety TT 352,000,000 September, ‘1925. ° M. P, A pioneer ionism and held ‘ust prior to ap- secretary of As- ocomotive Engin- 904. Elected or- And from this again we can calculate that the capital engaged is turned over only every ten months. This at first sight com- pares badly with an average turnover three times a year pre- war. But here again changed conditions allow of no true com- parison. Pre-war turnover was purely commercial and mostly in goods ready for export and re-sold at once on importation. the union, 1910, Present conditions cover in most cases the whole transit from iciliation boards. lary of the union, r of labor: party _ 1921. » Blected on congress. gen of fa- . Three { f elected 01 ciated with la aganda for many LAY, member of rs’ Association secretary and d assistant gen- tive department, | secretary, 1917, Engineering and Federation for ently: appointed rades union con- , 1921, re-elected ~ for term ending halrman of dele- ¢ - ° Trades »cial-de- ‘ 8. Mem- Céuncil tor six scretary, subse- rnishing trades, jate, West ‘Sal- Coventry, 1923- ccessful arbitra- d other disputes, council, trades re-elected each ie union interna- ienna, 1924, as at 1924 trades. »-Chairman, gen- ited delegate to ention, 1925. Ac. tion to Russia in —_————— , occupying *this’* producer to consumer. Foreign Bank Credits . The rapidity of progress ‘depends on the rapidity with which foreign capital, especially in London, realizes that the financing - of Russian trade is good business. There is some indication that this realization is spreading. Thus Russian banks have been able for some time to discount drafts of the Russian eco- nomic organizations with foreign banks, and are now beginning to be able to discount their bills. Arcos, Centrosoyouz, and other ae organizations are now having no difficulty in this respect. 4 British and German Trade with Moscow One reason why it is to be hoped that British finance will not neglect good business with Russia is the probability that if it does, Russian trade will be taken by Germany. Germany is at present negotiating a commercial treaty, and has begun to -dispute our supremacy in Russian commerce. TRADE WITH GREAT BRITAIN AND GERMANY (In percentage of total trade) : _. Great Britain Germany 1921-2— Per cent 1921-2— Per cent Exports ......: 25.1 80.8 WEPOPES cecsccccterees 14.7 18.1 Imports: ....+6. 50.7 18.8 Imports ....... 88.3 32.7 1922-3— 1922-3— Exports ....... 335 163 Exports .....;. 618 298 Imports ......- 36.5 25.4 Imports ....... 49.7 34.5 1923-4— 1923-4— ‘ Exports .....+- 80.0 23.0 Exports ....... 59.0 17.0 Imports ....0+. 51.6 25.0 Imports ....... 41.5 22.0 Per cent of total Great Britain ...... ep dcdetcce ce 23.9 os Germany i. 4). Wi cee os 18.2 Of the 80.6 millions worth of purchases by the Russian for- eign Government agencies in 1922-23, 34 millions, or 42 per -cent., were bought in Germany and 30.9 millions, or 38.4 per _cent., were bought in England. ’ ? Legal Status of Foreigners Soviet legislation in respect of foreigners is inspired by two is the inte onal:solidarity of all workers, which would bring in forei ‘on an equal footing. The other is the determina- tion—the result of bitter experience—not to admit foreigners tng under qu a banking basis Dational independence. On the whole, however, the present , position of foreigners is immensely superior to that under Tsar- ism and even to that in certain Continental countries. In the first place; a foreigner is defined as a citizen of a State not organized on a Soviet System. Union, 30-XII—1922.) Foreign workers have all rights of citi- zenship, and political refugees cannot be extradited.. Extradi- tion of criminals and the usual diplomatic immunities are pro- vided for. (a) Entry (Constitution of The entry. of foreigners is subject to the usual consular visa (which is at present, except in. special cases, only given. after reference to Moscow). Entry without a visa renders liable to a fine of 500 gold roubles (p. 98, Criminal Code). The Customs regulations are liberal, except one (p. 8), subjecting literature to inspection and possible confiscation by the police (G. P. U.). Money in excess of 500 gold roubles in value is put fo the own- er’s account in the State Bank; jewelry, furs, etc., are allowed in reasonable amount. (b) Residence, Foreigners must register within two months. ‘They are not given labor cards. Exit from Russia is also subject to the usual permit. The Government reserves the right to deport as a police measure any foreigner whose life is not reconcilable with the conditions of a Socialist society; but time must be allowed him to settle his affairs (par. 73). Any foreigner may obtain citizen- ship; and wives do not take their husband’s nationality unless Foreigners’ rights. may be administratively restricted unless otherwise provided in commercial treaties. The main restrictions at present are that they must get a permit to travel from one Republic of the Union to another. They may not fish in the White Sea nor the Northern Ocean. They may not wear foreign uniforms. They enjoy equality before the Courts. They may be prose- cuted for action against the Soviet State even outside Russia (par. 314, Crim. Code), but convictions must be communicated they so desire. to the Foreign Office. (Par. 160 Code, Crim. Procedure.) Judg- ments in matters of divorce, etc., will be given, apparently, according to Russian law, not as is usual, according to the law of the domicile. In all other respects—rights of property, profession, occu- pation, inheritance, they are equal with Soviet citizens. They are liable in principle to labor conscription, but in practice this is now only applicable in cases of national emergency. They ‘aré not liable for military service. (c) Concessions PAL wi 4 The legal rights of foreigners can be almost indefinitely extended by concessions, which all have the force of law and can be concluded with foreigners irrespective of whether their country is in contractual relations with Russia. Such conces- sions may contravene existing legislation and may give the con- cessionaire a privileged position as respects Russians. The property of a concessionaire may only be expropriated in so far as provided in the concession. Concessions are granted by the Central Committee on Concessions (Decree of March 8th, 1923), and negotiated through the concessions commissions of the Foreign Agencies (Torgpredstva)’. of such concessions see the chapter on Industry.) ‘ Concessions may also be granted within the limits of law by Provincial Governments for pu tramways, etc. Foreign Companies Foreign limited companies can: be admitted, by permit, to the rights of judicial persons (par. 8, Decree of November 23rd, 1922). Foreign firms may’ operate in Russia through’ estaplish- ments, agencies, etc., under a decree of the Executive Comniit*’ tee of April 12th, 1923, provided they obtain a permit from the | (For the commercial aspect blic services, such as gas, Chief Committee on Concessions with approval of the Executive Committee on Internal Commerce within a month. Russians in Government employ may not undertake such agencies. conditions under which foreign com The es apply for permits are regulated by decree of May 12th, 1923, which limits such 'per- mits to periods from one to three years which can be renewed. General Conclusion The information acquired by the. Delegation both in the official data, some of which has been reproduced above, and in conversations, has convinced ‘it that, although the centralized control of foreign commerce and its restriction to official and semi-official organizations causes considerable difficulty and . delay in opening up commercial connections with foreign coun- tries, yet that the present channels are quite workable with ‘goodwill on both sides. It further believes\that the desire for full and friendly commercial relation$ on the Russian side is such that when foreign traders can show that a minor relaxa- tion of restrictions would be reasonable, the demand might be met, Finally, that great harm is being done to British interests in general and great hardship frequently inflicted on British citi- ‘zens by the absence of full diplomatic and consular representa- tion in the U.S.S.R. Such representation could be far’ better spared in countries where the political and.economic: system jis. contrary principles, neither of which has entered into the foun- on familiar lines than in States such as those of the Union where dations of ordinary international law. One is recognition of» immense ho sapczmm irs “ren omasg age intercourse are develop- ite novel conditions. (To be continued in next issue) mMoJeuy nator