Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-12-19
MUST PROTECT
RUSSIA FROM
bOlSAEv|SM
Viscount Miner Explains
Continuance of Military
Operations.
ALLIES HONOR BOUND
TO ASSIST FRIENDS
Troops Sent to Russia Because 6sl'
shsviki Asajstsd huns-Aetien Due
to Greatest Military Nsesssity-En-
tsnts Obligated to Assist Cxseho.
Slovaks-ro Desert Russia Would
Mean earharism Thruout Country.

maintained concerning military opera
tions in Russia the insistent demand
by liberal newspapers that the gov
ernmcnt> explain the continuance OF
these operations, Viscount Miner. the
secretary for war. has issued a state
ment to the effect that the allies have
an obligation of honor to protect the
Russians and others who have aided
them against the bolsheviki
For the allies to scramble out Of
Russia now would threaten to involve
the whole country into barbarism, the
secretary declares.
The cabinet member in his state
ment goes over the situation created
by the success of the @bolsheviki In
gaining control of Russian affairs and
points out how their acts were ad.
versely affecting the cause of the
allies in the west.
You ask me- said Viseount Miner.
what right we had to send British
troops to Russia to meddle with in
kernal affairs in Russia and how long
we mean to keep them there.
The question itself shows you mis-
apprehend the facts as well as the
motives Of the government. The rea-
son why allies. not merely British
forces. were sent to Russia, is that the
bolsheviki were in fact, assisting our
enemies. 1t was owing to their action
that hundreds of. thousands OF Ger
man troops were let loose to huri
themselves against our-mcn on the
western front. Twas owing to their
BETRAYAL that Roumania fell into the
hands Of the Germans. a
1T was they who handed over the
Black Sea fleet to the Germans and
who treacilerously attacked the Czecho
Slovaks when the latter only desired
to get out Of Russia in order to fight
for the freedom of their own country
in Europe. @
Action Of Military Necessity.
"The allies were most anxious to
avoid interference in Russia, but 1t
was an obligation of honor to save the
Czecho- Slovaks and it was the mill
tary necessity of the greatest KIND 10
save large portions of Russia from pc
ing overrun by bolsheviki and so
thrown open as source of supply 70
the enemy.
II say nothing Of the great quantities
of military stores. the property OF the
allies at Arcfiangel and Vladivostok.
and which were in the course OF being
transferred to the Germans until alileo
occupation put an end to the process
"And this Intervention was success
full. Rioting stopped. The, Czecho-
Slovaks were saved from destruction.
The resources Of Siberia and southeast
ern Russia were denied to the enemy.
Then the ports of European Russia
were prevented from becoming basas
for German submarines.
These were>@mportant achievements
and contributed materially to the de-
feat Of Germany.
Duty to Friendly Russians.
II say nothing Of the fact that vast
portion of the earth's surface and mil
j oiis Of people friendly to the.allies have
been spared the unspeakable horrors
Of bolsheviki rufep But in the course
OF this allied intervention thousands OF
Russians have taken up, arms and
fought on the side Of the allies. How
can we, simply because our own im-
mediate purpose have been served, come
away and leave them to the tender met
cies and Of their and our, enemies be-
fore they had time to arm, train and
organize, SO a. to be strong enopgh to
defend themselves? It would BE- an
abnominable betrayal contrary TO every
British instinct Of honor and humanity.
you may be quite sure that the last
thing the government desires sis to
leave any British soldiers In Russia q
day, longer than is necessary to dis
charge the mora; obi;sa1ttiioIis wss III vs
incurred and that, believe. is the suid-
ing principle Of all the allies. 4. sSs
1T the allies were abba to scSamb bic
out OF Russia at once the result would
almost certainly be that Of harbar-
ism. The ultimated consequences of
such disaster can not be foreseen.vI