To the Rditor of the "NontH-Cuina DAILY News." have read with much interest in your to-day's paper the Teading article, some contributed extracts from an article by Mr. 'Urquhart tish Merchant" in correspondence columns, all articles touching the' question of Soviet business methods, and I should be much obliged if you would allow me some space for this letter with information on a similar subject, when the Russian businessman, willing to visit Colombo on commercial pur-Poses, was not granted permission.
The recent renewal of Russia's tea purchases: in London, China and British India (Colombo, Calcutta) attracted due attention and had several times been dealt with in your paper as well as in others. I have myself been closely connected with tea business, having the management of the Shanghai Office of a firm which is regarded as the pioneer in renewal of tea purchases for Russia, The purchases at Cal-gutta: and Colombo on our orders were: made by the leading British firms. With the greatest of ple: sure Iv point out: that our orders always received the best attention and we have no cause for complaint... However, with a view to maximum possible. definition of details regarding the current and future purchases, it was necessary for mie to visit the markets. China tea season being ended and the Chinese New Year was: coming, it was, therefore, the most convenient time for the businessman 0 leave Shanghai' for a short visit (Colombo, and eventually T applied to the British authorities at Shanghai for a passport visa to Colombo, paid necessary charges and. cable xpenss, ied application form and weeks after was informed that vi Provided several references, and two
to Colombo was refused, no reason being given for refusal, You and "British Merchant" suggest that there is no reason for Tefusal to the latter to enter Russi "British Merchant" complains that was. not granted. permission to visit Viadivostoky after having been Advised by the Trade Commissioner of the USSR. in Peking, that there wasn't sufficient demand in. Vlad Vostok For the goods. which (British Merchant") represents. do. not know. what sort of goods this was, Possibly, the Trade Com-Iissfoner's assertion was. correct find in this case the refusal can be tifed from the Soviet. author\- es point of view, particularly" 30 when one takes in consideration the foreign trade monopoly existing. in Russia, Tt is well known that many articles are' prohibited for import Rus Therefore a visit toi Vladivostok with a view to offer the articles either prohibited or having demand for, would. prove abso: Itely "useless and, if the visit be permitted, it would cause nothing But" bitter diseatistaction of ner of the articles. At the same time we know that' many" British and. other foreigners visit Russia with commercial purposes and, apparently, obtain visas: without cliff culty. I have personally and also in the firm's name, assisted. many businessmen, British mostly,—in ing Soviet visas, giving roto ind guarantees, always keeping in view that w visit from the serious businessman would prove useful for both sides, and as such the visit must be welcomed.
In my case things are altogether different from "British Merchant's." First of all tea is not prohibited for export from Ceylon; second—I tum employed by the firm, ineorportuted in Britain and having its head office in London, the firm representing the oldest Russian organization, buying large. quantities of tea; I reside in Shanghai for the last four T am well known to banks ins, and am in no way connected with any sort of polities. this forms no for my visit to Colombo and yet the visa was refused. these circumstances it is consider-Jably more difficult to understand the reasons for refusal. The only cause that can be suspected is the fear of political propaganda. But it is extremely difficult even to imagine 1 strictly businessman, whose head full of prices, rates, drafts, credits, ete, ete., being every minute in sight of the business community, and at the same time carrying on, during his week's political Propaganda among the natives and the lage, of- which the propagandist has not even the slightest idea, Thanking you for the space and enclosing my card.
Tam, ete M.A.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.