20 AUGUST 1927, Page 28

Finance—Public and Private

Soviet Russia—A World Enigma

I MAKE no apology for dealing this week with a book which has been sent to me concerning Soviet Russia, because the problem presented by that country is _of a character which for many a year to come must profoundly affect not only political but economic developments in many parts of the world. In what follows, therefore, it must be understood that I am giving very little thought to whether Russia does or does not present a profitable field fOr investment in the near future, but a great deal of thought as to whether developments in that country will or will not be of a character calculated to disturb both political peace and international progress and prosperity.