Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-04-28
Hep for Russia the Most
Serious and Demanding
Quick Action
IRISH QUESTION LEFT
ENTIRELY TO ENGLAND
Germany Making Herculian
Efforts to Have Russia
Make Peace
By George Martin.

/ Omitted Press staff correspondent
| Washington, April 2s.-Help for Rus
sia and solution of the Irish question
were the two immediate herculean prob
lens before the world war council of
the allies here today.
| There is reason to believe British
Foreign Secretary Baifour' Is initial re-
! port of the war parley, received in Lon
don today, will declare that informal
inquiries have made it clear that Presi-
dent Wilson believes speedy solution
of the Irish problem will be one of the
greatest steps that could be taken to ad-
vance the fight for universal democ-s
racy.
The American government considers
Ireland subject too delicate TO make
even informal suggestions concerning
England's attitude. 1t has left the in
itiative strictly to England.
| The promotion of world democracy
phase of America 5 attitude dovetails
with the Russian situation and plans to
meet it.
England France and Italy are keep
ling the closest possible watch on devel-
opments in the new democracy And
while they are doing all they can to
fhelp it along, they look to the United
States to take the brunt of the burden.
Is Delicate Matter.
| ultra-seeret conferences between this
government and the British and French
commission heads and representatives
Of the other allies preceded and fol-
lowed the appointment of Elihu Root as
head of America Is Russian aid commit
tee.
While no official Of an allied govern
ment would talk concerning the Russian
situation because they feel il is too
delicate to discuss just now, suggestions
here and there from representatives Of
the different governments piece their
attitude together lik this:
TIL revolution has developed two lead
ing factions in Russia--the duma and
the provisional committee of soldiers
and citizens.
The duma is thoroughly democratic,
utterly opposed to separate peace with
Germany and on complete terms of un-
derstanding with the allies The pro-
visional committee, the more powerful
cf the two organizations, among the peO-
pie is not a unit either for the allied
cause or for separate peace with Ger
many.
Germany is exerting gigantic propa-
ganda to swing the committee TO a. sep
|arate peace. Germany Is concerning its
efforts on the extreme socialists on the
committee, among the people at home in
Russia and among the soldiers in tho
trenches.
German Agents Busy.
These German propagandists argue:
You in Russia have had your revolu-
ton 1t has been successful.
"We in Germany are getting our
revolution under way. Make separate
peace with us. We are all brothers to-
gether and together we will throw off
the autocratic yoke. Why should we
fight each others We have no quar-
rel.'
The autocratic German government is
hiding behind these suggestions. It will
be for the Root commission to impress
this on the Russian people. Nobody
knows what the provisional committee
win do, )" said one foreign official to-
day.
"And, he added, "heaven only
knows when the war will end if they
manipulate separate peace.
Germany's success in Russia, it IN
pointed out, would mean the necessity
for hurting Of millions of American
troops onto the western front
Do not for moment minimize,
said another European official today,
what a separate peace between Ger
many and Russia would mean to the