The Washington herald., 1917-08-25
PLEDGES NO SEPARATE PEACE
Railroad May Save Russ.


Railroad May Save Russ.
The completion Of the Russian rail-
way line to Koli on the Arctic Sea
may be the fact that will save Rus
sia 10 the entente forces during the
coming winter. This railroad means
that Russia can be supplied freely
despite the closing by ice Of the Port
Il ArchanCel
While no authoritative revelations
Of the military situation have arrived
here both the State Department and
the Russian mission insist that the
position Of the Russian armies is at
least no worse than # has been
The great difficulty with the Rus
sian armies is once more a shortage
Of munitions. The ships provided by
the shipping board and the opening
Of the koli railroad line will. il IS
expected. meet this difficulty in time.
Doubt As To Conference.
These are the outstanding facts OF
the situation as revealed last nisht:
There sul remains the great doubt
as 70 the outcome Of the Moscow
conference. This summoning Of the
newly freed people under the hand
OF kerenskv may prove his Franken-
stein monster and the United States
ana the allies will not feel easy until
authoritative news has been received
that the Young dictator has the
Moscow rIaetuE well under control.
The receipt n a dispatch from Am
bassador Francis. as learned this aft
ernoon, is the only message whica
has come from Russia in mG,v
hours. Yet IL created a strikluf-
change n the attitude n Secretary
LansinC. He consented 10 talk about
the Russian situation.
Ambassador Francis disratch was
Simply TO the effect that Boris Bakh-
meIch. the Russian envoy here. had
power to hind the prUvisional govern
ment 10 a loan IN the United States
ard - authorized 20 receive moneys
here t1y the account OF the provisional
government
Faith In Francis.
II Is not believed that Mr.. Francis
v Guild have sent such a MESA se were
he not convinced OF the ultimate sue
Gers Of the new republic. The MESSAGE
distinctly hesrtoned all Washington.
Furthermore. it cleared ID a techz
nIcal detail which has been the cause
Of much conference among Secreta ries
McAdoo, Baker and Lansing during
the last twoBJy-fOur hours Il "lden-
titled a new Ambassador 10 the paw
ing teller ~ the United States
Its receipt was promptly followed Nv
the placing Of further credit OF sl0O-
uJ3,"1 10 Russia's account This will
facilitate the shipments 10 Archan-el
for which the shipping Board will rro-
vide three vessels Immediately and
others as they are needed. This makes
Russia's total debt in this country
s.. .n'0 On
This WAS Secretary I.ansinE's state-
mont yesterday on Russia:
The adm .nistrstion does not share
the n,ssiU ~-:e feeling indicated in
some press reports Quite the con-
trEry. we believe that the provisional
4 government is stronger today. both
politically and mi'itarily. than il has
been in a month.
Discount Riga Fall
"EiEa has fallen several times
Several times L has been evacuated
but the Germans have never actually
I taken possession.
The suggested change Of the cap
D Il
many timCs-cycn before the rcvolu-
4 Jion. Many Russians contend that
Moscow is more OF center Of Rus
sian life than PctroErad. The actual
movement OF the capital would not he
a manaCinC omen"
Mr.. Lansing made Il plain that the
administration is following the recon-
mcudatlons Of the Root mission and
! that the United States will stand by
Russia 10 the end and after.
With regard to the military situa-
tion. an officer familiar with the prob
| lsm said Yesterday that the only way
in which the military situation can he
come serious is for the Russian armies
TO be so decisivelv defeated and the
country so uava-ed that the people
will demand peace.
As long as the Russian armies can
keep the Germans pursuing them the
allies cause viii he served. Il was
/ the pursuit of a Russian army that
defeated Napoleon this observer
pointed out. The farther the Germans
pursue the Russians the more men
they will need TO keep their own lines
open.