Sir Robert Horne, in the House of Commons on Wednesday,
December 22nd, described the negotiations which had taken' place for trading with the Bolsheviks. The Government had,, he said, laid down their conditions on July 7th last, but the Bolshevik attack on Poland had caused the discussion to be suspended. The Government asked (1) that prisoners should be released, (2) that anti-British propaganda should cease, , (3) that debts for goods supplied and services rendered should! be recognized, and (4) that there should be commercial facilities on both sides. They could not admit the Bolshevik demand that British citizens-should be denied the right to sue Bolshevik agents for debts owing by Russia. But if we recognized the. Bolsheviks in so far as trade was concerned, this question of debts would assume a new aspect. Sir Robert Horne expressed a hope that some agreement might be made, so that Britiah, merchants might be free to trade with Russia at their own risk,, and thus lay a foundation for peace,
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