We must part company with Mr. Boothby, however, when he
attributes the absence of information about Russia to the " unfortunate policy of isolation pursued by the Soviet Government." A statement to the Press Association by the Editor of the English Review shows that the Russian Government has—apart from Mr. Litvinoff's recent pronouncement on foreign policy— made a definite move. Mr. Remnant has been in commu- nication with representatives of the Soviet in Paris as well as in Moscow, and has undertaken, at their request, to organize a representative delegation, such as Mr. Boothby suggests, for a visit to Russia. When questioned in the House, Government spokesmen have argued that business and diplomatic relations are quite distinct. But we may remind Sir Austen Chamberlain of his own reluc- tance to break off official relations on the ground that a break would " increase the instability of European conditions." To our mind that argument should weigh even more than the question of trade.
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