Page:The Russian Review Volume 1.djvu/60

44 nation, with broader business and politico-economic policies than are found in some of the European countries.

When the sudden upheaval that struck Europe in the summer of 1914 made Russia realize her dependence on Germany for imports, she began to supply the immediate needs by turning to the only available source near home, the small Scandinavian countries. Their ability, however, to supply the markets of Russia is obviously insufficient. And the Russian businessmen finally began to turn to the one great, available source of imports, the American Republic across the Atlantic.

The War affords the United States an opportunity of engaging in import and export trade with the largest buying nation in the world. Only, this opportunity must be recognized by the American sellers, as well as by the Russians buyers. The work of establishing close commercial relations between the two countries must be the task of both, working together, and each meeting the other half-way.

There are many things that Americans can learn from the experience of the Germans who dominated the Russian markets before the War. The principle of low prices and large quantities must be the watchword, at least at the beginning. This will be especially important since German competition, perhaps disguised in many ways, will still have to be reckoned with. But, if the American agricultural implements are enjoying a marked preference over the German, why should not this be equally true of other American goods?

The American sellers must know their buyers, at least as well as the Germans knew them. They have to organize methods for obtaining the necessary information concerning the reliability and standing of the different Russian business houses.

They must have some institution of exchange. The establishment of a Russian-American Bank, or a series of banks, so favorably regarded by the Russian business organizations, the Russian government, and the American exporters, would, perhaps, be the best means of establishing a basis for real commercial relations on a really large scale.

The game involves large stakes on both sides, but it promises large returns. It is worth the risk.