The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-08-23
.SOV|ETS THREATEN
AMERICAN CITIZENS
CONSUL GENERAL POOLE AT
MOSCOW COMMUNICATES WITH
STATE DEPARTMENT
LEkINE AND TROTZKY FLEE
Revolt in Moscow Causes Departur,
for kronstadt of BoIsheviki Lead
ers-British and French Citi-
zens Held as Hostages

Washington. Aug. 15-Official dis
| patches yesterday from American
| Consul General Poole in Moscow lift
| I'D the curtain for Il moment and re
yealed an amazing train of events il
hat city.
Consul General Poole, after witness
ng the violation of the French ant
British cOnsulates and the arrest OF
he consuls general and their staffs
destroyed his code book and papers
and turned the affairs of the Ameri
,an consulate over to the Swedish
consul, at the same time demanding
safe conduct from the country for him
self and his associates.
French and British citizens have
been arrested and the Bolsheviki have
announced they would hold them as
hostages because of the attack ON the
soviet government by British and
French troops at Archangel.
First, the soviet government gave
solemn assurances that allied persons
would not be mdested: second.
Tchitcherin said the allied military
missions would not be allowed to de-
part as had already been promised
third, that civil persons arrested were
hostages for the lives of soviet men,
)ers in territory occupied by the al
les. Tchitcherin said these persons
ire civil prisoners arrested in accord
ince with the practices of war, for
nternment. He added that no re-
'ponsibility could be assumed for
heir futrue safety because Great Brit
lin and France had attacked Arch
nigel without declaration of war.
'Mr. Poole said he was without
of what had taken place in
he north, but warned Tchitcherin
hat the peoples of the allied nations
ould not be intimated and that the
of a system of reprisals by
he soviet government could only re-
ult in individual members of the gov
rnment being held personally respon- |
ibIe, and in the loss by the Bolsheviki |
ause of whatever respect it might
ow have in the minds of the civiliz-
d world"
This Information reached the state
apartment in official dispatches from
tockholm transmitting the first word
card from Mr. Poole since he report
4 under date of August ., joining
18th the allied consuls in demanding
n explanation of statement by Len
lie, the Bolsheviki PREMIER that a
ate of war existed with the allies.
Lenine and Trotzky Cone
The consups dispatches tell in Diet
Ill of events which TRANSFERRED I'D to
week ago. Since then Lenine and
rotzky have fled to Kronstadt and it ,
regarded as possible here that the
Olsheviki government at Moscow has
zen overthr0wn, in which case it is ,
,lieved Poole would remain there on
iendly terms with the new regime.
In the absence of Ambassador Fran
$, who is at Archangel, Consul Poole
IS been the American representative
tn the BOlsheviki government. He |
ported that in spite of assurances
DIN Tchitcherin, the foreign COM :
ssioner, he was apprehensive for Q
e safety of the consulate, and called
on the Swedish consul to take
arge of American interests after. de-
'oying his code book as a supreme {
ecaution.
Warns of ReprisaIs.
Poole said he warned Tchitcherin
at the allied nations could not be
and that reprisals by the
Tiet government could only result y
the individual members of that e
vernment being held responsible
and in the loss by the Boil
sviki of whatever respect it might o
W have in the civilized world a
Poole reported that at a conference II
IN the American Japanese and I
edish consuls general on August g. N
hitcherin gave assurances that al n
! persons of diplomatic or official W
iracter would not be molested but b.
dared the allied military missions b;
uld not be permitted to depart as
promised and that civil
sons arrested would be held as II
'tages for the lives of soviet mem I'll
s in territory occupied by the allies pl
is possible that since the sending tn
Consul General Poole's kilograms M
lch began on July % and continued
il August 6, the situation may have
nged, because it is reported that m
line and Trotzky, the Bolsheviki to
1ers have fled, and the soviet gov. to
ment in Moscow may have beer WI
rthrown. tn