Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-13
TOWARD RUSSIA
Senator johnson De-
mands y. S. Attitude
State Of War Actually Exists with
Soviet Government Without For
NAL Declaration Of Hostlities-
Asks for Documents and informa-
ton

Washington, Dec. Ex-senator
Johnson Of California, Republican, in
an address TO the Senate today, de-
manded a definite statement of the
American governments policy toward
Russia. He declared a state OF war
with the Soviet government actually
existed without a formal declaration
of hostilities, and. asking long Sc
ries Of questions, introduced reso-
luton calling upon the State Depart
! men. for all documents and informa-
ton regarding the nations course in
| Russia and upon the. War Depart
ment for a statement OF American
troops in Russia and casualties
among them.
For the information Of Congress
and the American people, he said he
wanted to know whether it was true
that this government never replied to
plea from the russian Soviet gov
eminent TO help avert the shameful
! treaty of BreSt" and whether the as
siStant secretary of state. speaking
f; for the President. refused interven-
| ton last March, stating that to inter-
/ vene in Siberia would be doing in
( the East exactly what the Germans
/ were doing in the West"
is it true" the Senator continued,
, that the Russian Soviet government
| offered through its highest economic
council program for making Amer
| lea the most favored foreign nation in
and cfrprporco and
the control by the Allies of ali those
| supplies most desired by the Central
| Empires?
is it true that representatives of
the American Ped Cross remained in
Soviet Russia until October, in per-
feet safety and reasonable comfort
even after we had interviewed and
American troops were fighting the
soldiers Of the Soviet government?
rs it true that the Department of
State has refused to allow the -Ameri-
can Red Cross to ship supplies to
Moscow and Petrograd for the relief
of the returning Russian war prison
crs from Germany:
rs it true that the American ambas-
sador and the British high commission
er in Russia recommended cooperation
with the ~ovie. government through
the American railroad mission; that the
Soviet government invited this coopera-
ton and promised control Of the Sibe-
! rian railway 10 he placed in the ilanis
OF this mission. and that these recon-
mendations were refused by the Amer
can government largely as a result Of
! nisinformation received through the
! Creel committee. supported by leadets
and representatives Of the old regime
in Russia?"
Senator Johnson acked also whether
it was true that Russiar-speaking ard
! experienced British high commission r.
sent to Russia after he Bolsheviki rev.
/ olution. exported as late as May ). 1913.
that the Soviet government ha- coope :
ated with the Allies. and that he believ-
/ ed that intervention IN cooperation with
the Soviet government was feasible; and
whether the American government so
delayed cooperation with the Kerensky
governments plan 20 support the mo-
: lie of the army and maintain that p.c-
visional government IN power as to con
tribute largely to the overthrow of Ker-
ensky and the success of the Bolsheviki
revolution.
The Senate foreign relations commit
tee and the state department. Senator
johnson said. could not or had not an
swered the questions.
Il understand full we'll" continued
Johnson, that the peculiar intolerance
which has been fostered in the past few
months, the state Of mind deliberately
cultivated which has sought to bu,ly
and to terrorize either mild objector or
seeker for information. will look as
kance at one so lost as to ask the faces
concerning Russia and our participa noa
in its welfare. But those of US WHO
are neither Bosneviki nor in sympathy
with Bolshevism, of course. would Be
unfit to sit here if we feared to pursue
a legitimate inquiry