Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-15
ALLIED OFFICERS
!. |NPER|L |NRUSS|A
: French and British Consuls
and Civilians Arrested by
!, BoIsheWik Leaders.
MANY SENT TO PRISON

STOCKHOLM, Friday. September. IL.
On August the French and British
consuls and their STATS and many MEM
bers of the military missions Of the two
countries were arrested with about 200
British and French civilians, including
many women. On August the consuls
and other officials were released, but the
citizens were held.
Being unable to communicate with
their home governments and being I'M
certain Of their freedom, the entente
consuls Immediately turned their af-
fairs over to the representatives Of neu-
trad countries and asked for their pass
portA Later they also asked permits
sion for their nationals to leave. In the
meantime some Englishmen and French
men were released and others were ar
rested
Minister Tchitcherin then agreed
to let the entente officials and citi-
Gems depart II Maxim Litvinoff. the
bolshevik representative in London.
was permitted to leave England. but
tions repeatedly. Finally he refused
fatty to permit the British and
French to go. notwithstanding the
inslstence Of the neutral diplomats.
Two Americans Arrested.
Norman Armour, secretary in
charge of the American legation at
VoIogda, was arrested there and
taken to Moscow under guard. Roger
NJ. Simmon, q forester connected with
the American bureau of forestry and
carrying an American diplomatic
passport. was arrested at Vologda
where he was held incommunicado two
weeks before being released. These
were the only Americans arrested be-
fore the American, Italian and Bel
gian party left Moscow August 6.
Not more than fifty natiye-born
Most Of these have resided there for
many years and are unwilling to
leave the country. The Americans
were not ordered out by De Witt c.
Poole, the American consul general,
but were given an opportunity to
leave.
Events in Russia which Immediately
proposed the surrender Of entente
allied interests In soviet Russia to
the ministers of neutral countries
were presented to the outside world
chiefly through bolshevik and Ger
were without communication with
their governments and, consequently,
their side of the case was not fully
stated during the crucial days Of
early August, when conditions be-
came SO unsettled that they decided
and property of their nationals under
the protection of neutrals.
Real Break in July.
The real break began July 20. when
Premier Lenin declared in Moscow
speech:
I'VE are at war with the Anglo
French imperialists."
Posters reiterating similar state
cow, and great uneasiness was felt
by all the entente citizens because
OF the threats made in the bolshevik
press against them.
The entente consuls asked Foreign
Minister Tchitcherin II the soviet gov
eminent regarded itself at war with
the entente allies. and told him that
Premier Lenin's statement must feces-
sarily be regarded as q declaration of
war unless it was ofiicially denied.
After considerable delay Tchitcherin
replied:
1.-The soviet government is not max
ing war on the peoples of the allied
countries and does not recognize in
Sefnat1Onal law.
Financiers Consider Situation.
~ the Associated Press.
STOCKHOLM. Thursday, September
12.-There is much speculation
among Russian hnanciers as to the
future of all the banks in Russia
taken over by the bolsheviki should
a new government supplant the pres
ent regime. The bolsheviki found the
banks great disappointment and
were amazed at the small amount of
money realized by their confiscation.
and it seems doubtful II any new gov
eminent would ind It possible to con-
tfnue the operations Of all the banks
now in existence and badly disor-
ganised. and to assume their liabiA-
ties.
Some Of the Russian bankers believe
&c would be possible to untangls
the Affairs OF the old banks and con-
tinue them, but many others believe
the only practical plan would be to
untanEle the affairs Of the old banks
and continue them. but many others
believe the only practical plan would
be to Nqu1date them and start anew.