Published: The New York Herald, March 26, 1922, No. 208, p. 1.
Transcription\Markup: Zdravko Saveski, 2020.
By a Special Correspondent of The New York Herald.
MOSCOW (via London), March 25 – There is very solid ground for sober optimism in the Genoa conference, Nikolai [Vladimir] Lenine told me in an interview, adding that nothing short of physical collapse would prevent him attending. He expects it will reopen Russian trade with the outside world and mark the beginning of a new and brighter era for his country.
"It is not our desire to bring up political questions for discussion," he said. "As we understand it, it will be a meeting along business lines, to deliberate on business affairs. We shall go as businessmen – merchants, if you like – knowing what we want from the bourgeois States, knowing also what they want of us.
"The present state of affairs cannot continue. It is unhealthful both for Russia and the rest of the world. We need trade with the bourgeois States – must have it. On the other hand, they need our trade, for they know that without it it is hopeless to attempt the serious economic reconstruction of Europe."
I saw Lenine on Sunday for the first time in many weeks and had a long talk with him. I found him vastly changed. He is a tired and sick man. He looks worn and unhealthy, and obviously is suffering a severe nervous and physical strain. But the man's indomitable energy being his controlling spirit, apparently he is as determinate as ever to go to the conference himself.
"The man I chiefly want to meet face to face is Lloyd George. He has shown repeatedly that he is a realist and that he will not allow what one might call snobbishness to interfere with the attainment of practical ends. I feel that with him an understanding is possible. Again let me say that I do not expect a political understanding that in impossible between a Soviet republic and a bourgeois State. What I mean is a business understanding."
Asked if a political agreement would not be necessary preliminary to a trade agreement, Lenine replied:
"Probably there must be some measure of mutual political toleration at first. Without that no trade agreement could be either valid or lasting. But there is no reason why that should not be possible with Great Britain. Lloyd George is well aware that we already have arrived at a working business agreement with several States.
"He knows too that the number of Russian commercial undertakings in which foreign capital is taking part is steadily increasing. He is too much of a realist to allow British capital to be frozen out of the future economic development of Russia. Moreover, he is quite an accomplished artist at devising formulae.
"There is no disposition, according to telegrams from abroad, to create a smoke screen around Genoa. We are told the bourgeois governments are in a state of uncertainty over their programs, and hints are given out that a whole series of as yet undefined conditions will be presented for Russia's acceptance before the practical business conference is tackled. We are not impressed by such maneuvers. If people imagine they can take us by surprise they are mistaken.
"We know how to bargain. There is in all bargaining an element of bluff. We are accustomed to bluff, too if threats are tried they will not impress us either. We are used to threats and can afford to smile at them. We have survived worse threats than any that can be made at Genoa. There was a time when bourgeois threats took the form of artillery fire. I dare say European diplomatists have lively memories of the end of that particular experiment. They are not likely to seek to renew it in a hurry.
"If they do we are ready for them. Trotzky made that quite clear the other day in his speech, which was not incompatible with the views I have just expressed. On the contrary, it shows a clear understanding of the situation. For my part, I ascribe no undue importance to sententious telegrams, even when inspired by diplomatists. The bourgeois States know perfectly well that to attempt to treat Russia as a vanquished State, upon which conditions can be imposed, would be worse than folly – it would be useless.
I'm afraid the bourgeois governments do not understand our present economic policy. It will be my task to explain it to them. The long economic retreat of Russia is at an end. From now on we are ready to advance once more. In saying this I'm not losing sight of the difficulties facing us – they are enormous. The time has not yet come when we will be able to look into the future with serene confidence. The danger of war is not yet completely averted, but the danger from internal economic conditions is far more imminent and serious.
"Still, I can say, on the eve of the Genoa conference, that of all the views on the economic state of Russia the panicky view is the one which answers least to the facts of the situation. Therefore, I am hopeful of Genoa."