The Washington times., 1917-04-28
WAR COMMISSIONS
TAKE UP RUSS ISSUE
Question of Aiding Nation To-
ward Democracy Is Big
Problem of Day.

Irish question. were the two Herculean
problems before the great world war
council OF our allies here today.
Plans were set under way at the
great conference today to have the
allies Join hands. under the leadership
Of Elihu Root and the American mis-
sion 'in a democratic effort to keep
the spark Of freedom alight in Russia. "
The plan, it is known. meets the ap-
proval OF all our allies.
Root has conferred wits the American
Administration, with former Premier
viviani and with Secretary Balfour as
to the details OF the mission.
Plan is Vital.
A high official of the French mission
today said the plan is vital to the
principle of world freedom.
"a Russian separate peace with
Germany would mean anarchy in
Russia. 1t would dim the light of
civilization to a mere flicker through
out the world for years to come"
The American Government con-
siders ireland a subject too delicate
to make even informal suggestions
concerning England's attitude. 1t
has left the initiative strictly to Eng
Iand, through Balfour, is known to-
day to have exercised that initiative.
The promotion of world democracy
phase of Americas attitude dovetails
with the Russian situation and plans
to meet 1t.
Keep Close Watch.
England, France, and Italy are keep
ing the. closest possible watch on de-
velopments in the new democracy.
And while they are doing all they can
to help It along, they look to the
United States to take the brunt Of
the burden because of its position as
the birthplace OF freedom and dem
ocracy.
Ultra-secret conferences between
this Government and the British and
French commission heads and repre-
sentatives of the other allies preced-
ed and followed the appointment of
Elihu Root as head OF Americas Rus
sian aid commission.
While no official of any ally gov
ernment will speak out concerning
the Russian situation because all feel
1T is too delicate to discuss just now,
q word here and there from represen-
tatives OF the different governments
pieces the attitude together like this:
Two Big Factions.
The revolution has developed two
leading factions in Russia-the Duma
and the provisional committee of
soldiers and citizens.
The Duma is thoroughly demo-
cratic, utterly opposed to a separate
peace with Germany and on COM
plete terms of understanding with
the allies.
The provisional committee. the more
powerful of the two ordinations
among. the people, is not a unit eth
er for the allied cause or for a sepa-
rate peace with Germany.
Germany is exerting gigantic
propaganda to swing the committee
TO a separate peace. Germany is con-
eentrattng its efforts on the extreme
socialists on the committee, among
the people at home in Russia and
among the soldiers in the trenches.
Their Argument.
These German propagandIsts argue:
You in Russia have had your revo-
lution. 1t has been successful.
I'VE, in Germany are getting our
own revolution under way. Make a
separate peace with us. We are all
brothers together, and together we
will throw of the aut6cratic yoke.
Why should we fight each other? We
have no quarrel"
The autocratic German government
Is hiding behind these suggestions. 1t
will be for the Root commission to
impress this on the Russian people.
Nobody knows what the provis-
ional government will do" said one
Foreign official today who is in a po-
sition to know.
Might Last Years.
And" he added, "heaven only
knows when the war will end, If they
manipulate separate peace"
Germany's success in Russia. it is
pointed out, would mean the hurlinC
of millions OF American troops onto
the western front.
do not for a moment minimize"
said another European official today.
what a separate peace between Ger
many and Russia would mean TO the
United States.
ut would mean that Germany
would be fed, supplied, and equipped
for endless warfare, and that the al
lied blockade to starve Germany out
would have gone for naught.
Would Free Army.
TT would mean that eleven army
corps, about a million and a half
lighting men. would be swung into
the balance on the British and French
fronts.
You can readily see how this would
menace the remaining European al
lies. Then there could be only one
answer for the United States: and
that ansyer would be millions and
millions and millions of men.
Upon America would depend the
success or failure OF Prussianism.
"You would have to feed. equip. mu-
milton, and otherwise maintain your
gigantic army in Europe.
"Nor would that detract one jot or
little from your present problem or
feeding and equipping Europe under
fits present fighting conditions"
Root Problem.
Such is today's lineup OF the prob
lem with which Elihu Root and the
American commission to Russia will
be confronted.
While a SlOO.OOO.OOO loan to Italy
and a 5000. 900. 900 loan to France was
being arranged for between President
Wilson, Secretary McAdOO and the
French and italian representatives,
and probably will be co .summated
within a few days. and while such in