The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-22
POLICY TOWARD RUSSIA CLOUDY
Entente Apparently Has Not Yet Adopted Any Definite
 Policy for the Future

London, December 5.--Correspondehce of the Associated Press.D-Demands made in Parliament for information concerning the policy of the entente powers toward Russia have failed to elicit very defi- mite information as to British toward the land of the bolshevik. The British press
 is insistent that Russia must be helped economically, although it confesses ut ter lack of information as to the atu- tude of the entente powers toward the existing government in Soviet Russia. Replying to a question from L@uten- ant Colonel Lord Cavendish- Bentinck as to the actual conditions in Soviet Rus sia, Arthur J. Balfour the foreign sec retary said: The information at the dis posal of his majestys government IS to 1 the effect that the deliberate policy or l the bolshevist government is one of ex- | termination by starvation. murder and wholesale execution of all parties which | do not support theirr regime.
 ] Lord Cayendish- Bentinck then asked: l Has the government any alternative to the present policy, which apparently has
 no effec&but to strengthen the power tof the bolshevist government?'
 | MT Balfour responded he was not aware that anything the British govern ment has done. or has attempted to co, | has strengthened the bolshevist govern ment. He also said he did not under stand what his. interrogator meant oy I an alternative policy"
 Russia,s plight was brought before tho | House of Commons again the same cay l through a discussion of the future oi l Armenia when Mir. Ponsonby, labor member insisted that Turkish rule over non- ottoman races must be terminated and asked for a clear statement on the policies of the British government to- | ward Russia. He urged that the British public should be advised whether a state of war exists between the entente powers and Russia; what the British ex-
 pedition in north Russia is doing; wha
 the intentions of Great Britain are to
 wards the bolshvist government, an'
 whether additional achievements ar
 being sent to Archangel
 Lord Robert Cecil, then under secretary for foreign affairs replied that II Wa
 i,npossible to give any pledges as t'
 what the military position was, or ma,
 be in Russia, without consultations Witt those responsible for military affairs H' | said however, the government IS no inclined to entagle the country, at .h' close of the great war in serious mliltar.
 operations The speaker then commented
 upon the labor members failure to eN press condemnation of the 'outrageou
 proceedings of the so-called Russian gov
 ernment.'' .
 .It is not only that governments or lenses against humanity which cannot D forgotten,' said Lord Robert Cecil, pu if has committed offences against thu country which, if committed by any or dinary, civilized government would nay more than justified this country in seek inp redress at arms. A British maya officer has been killed while protecuh building belonging to the British gov ernlnent Other British subjects nay been subjected to horrible hardshlps, ah i crimes have been committed which stas ger humanity. While primarily " ought to consider the interests ana ue sires of the people it IS right 10 say ''a inc bolsheyist government, as such. I entitled to no consideration whatever the hands of the British government.