Page:The Russian Review Volume 1.djvu/228

202 millions of roubles will have to be spent for providing better facilities for technical and commercial education.

When we consider that one or two billion roubles will be necessary for the resumption of normal activities in the territory devastated by the War, and that the interest on war loans will require an outlay of enormous sums of money, we feel justified in asserting that by 1920 Russia will have spent, over and above her normal budget requirements, the immense sum of about twelve billion roubles.

Now the following query naturally presents itself: Where is Russia to obtain all these billions of roubles, since the home market is absolutely incapable of supplying them? As it is, the home market will have to withstand a tremendous strain if it is to supply the needs of rapidly developing industrial enterprises, as well as to solve many problems of national economy, the solution of which was postponed on account of the War.

An economic coalition with Russia's present allies and with several neutral countries is thus eminently important and desirable. We should now consider the means whereby the desired result may best be achieved.

In the first place, we shall have to change radically the general character of the treaties we conclude with other powers, for until the present War the trade policy of Russia seems to have been directed towards destroying her commerce with her present allies and the neutral countries. The basis of Russia's foreign trade consisted largely of her treaties with Germany. And the Germans, of course, were concerned with their own interests, and not with the interests of other countries. These countries, finding nothing of special advantage to them in the treaties which they concluded with Russia, were not anxious to make special allowances for Russia and to develop their trade with her. It was largely because of this mistaken policy on the part of Russia that she has become an economic colony of Germany.

What is necessary now is to create a condition of preference upon the Russian markets for those countries with which Russia desires to enter into closer relations. This would have to be accomplished, however, without any harm to the interests of Russia's own economic life, since a rapid development in this