"The worst problem," he continued, "are the Jews. I disagree with the Cadet Party and approve of the Nationalist Policy of political disability for the Jews. No one can exist along with them, for their standard of life is so different, and in time they will draw all the country into economic bondage under them. Besides, their dishonesty in the remoter parts of the Empire is often flagrant. I approve of a policy which restricts them to certain areas and denies them the right to hold land. In this part of Siberia, Jews of old standing only—namely, those who came here in the earlier days—are allowed to live."
He said he hoped Siberia would receive more consideration from Englishmen than it had received in the past. "Your countrymen are far too careless in these matters. You do not study local conditions or learn our language, nor do you try to cater for our markets. You expect everyone to speak English and to pay cash for goods, but the Russian peasants are without capital and require long terms of credit. Your agricultural implement firms must have representatives living out here on the spot who can speak Russian, understand local conditions and go about among the peasants; and you must be prepared to give long credit. I hope that in future Englishmen will become more interested in Siberia. Nothing tends more to create mutual understanding and foster goodwill than commercial relations. If English people had been more interested in Siberia and Eastern Russia they would never have backed Japan in her war with us, as they did. Now you see the fruits, for Japan is going to shut us all out of Manchuria, if she can succeed in doing so."
