THE UGLY RUSSIAN: Red Trade Blunders Benefit the U.S.

IN the worldwide trade-and-aid war, U.S. shortcomings and mistakes are well known, thoroughly publicized. But is the Russian economic-aid program to underdeveloped countries an overwhelming success? Last week, as Soviet Premier Khrushchev granted $250 million in credits to Indonesia and rode through the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan, freshly paved from Soviet aid funds, the Russians' score seemed high. In some cases it is—e.g., Egypt's Aswan Dam, Cuba's sugar contract for 1,000,000 tons a year. But the overall Soviet-bloc record includes many a blunder. Even more important, by following the basic pattern of foreign aid laid down by the U.S.,...