To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

To the casual reader, or to one with only a superficial knowledge of the subject; Professor Baxter's carefully modulated article dealing with U. S. relations with the U. S. S. R. in Monday's CRIMSON would appear an unprejudiced scholarly treatment of a controversial subject, for the writer draws no conclusions--but closes with the pious wish that the U. S. will act with wisdom.

Professor Baxter, writing for a group of laymen whose knowledge of the subject is at best meagre, gives as the reasons of the U. S. not recognizing the Soviet Union, first the failure of the Soviet government to acknowledge the debts of preceding governments, second, the unwillingness of the Russian government to restore or make compensation for confiscated property of American citizens, and third, the alleged participation of the Russian government in propaganda conducted in foreign slates by the Third International. In not exposing these reasons as the shallow mockeries they are, Professor Baxter is guilty of almost criminal negligence. The first is an attempt to make the Soviets appear a group of irresponsible brigands with whom orderly intercourse is impossible; as a matter of fact, they have simply pointed out the impossibility of talking debts with a nation that refuses to recognize the government it wants to talk to, and urge that the United States first grant recognition so that orderly intercourse will be possible. As for the second, the U. S. S. R. has simply suggested in a nice way that before the United States attempts to collect anything for its citizens it should first make reparations for the ravages inflicted on the Soviet Union by American troops near Archangel and by the White expeditions, such as those of Koltchak and Denekin, which were paid for with American money. As to the third, hostile propaganda, it is a well known fact that Mussolini is conducting in this country propaganda foreign to our ideals but we have not refused recognition to Italy, and, further, there is some question whether the United States, in the many Latin American nations under its thumb, as well as by its heavy subsidies to Poland, is not doing infinitely more, in the way of White propaganda, than the Comintern ever attempted.

If these are the best reasons that can be adduced for the non-recognition of the U. S. S. R., and I think they are, I think that recognition might well take place at once. Lawrence B. Cohen Jr.,   President Harvard Socialist Club.