The treaty relations of the United States of America and the Union of Socialistic Soviet Republics

In November, 1917, the Bolshevik! overthrew the Provisional Government of Russia, which the United States had recognized March 22, 1917. One way in which the new government differed from the one which had succeeded the Czarist regime was its refusal to respect the international obligations of preceding governments. The government of the U.S.S.R. does not consider that the treaty obligations contracted by Russia under other governments are binding upon it unless it has specifically agreed to them Itself. The United States government insists that Russia is still a party to the treaties contracted by the Czarist government, except those which have legitimately terminated. The United States government has refused to recognize the Soviet government because it regards it as "deficient in its observance of the fundamental conditions of international intercourse in three respects, namely: (1) its failure to accord to the persons and property of foreigners within its jurisdiction that degree of respect and protection required by international law; (2) its failure to respect the international obligations of preceding governments; and (5) its failure to respect the right of other nations to develop their institutions and to conduct their internal affairs without (5) Interference or control by other states". It is the aim of this thesis to discover what, in view of these facts, the treaty relationships of the two states are.