Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-07
Measures to Protect Inter
ests in Russia Approved
by the President.
IMPORTANT CONFERENCE
HELD AT WHITE HOUSE
Various Cabinet Members Pres
ent, but Refuse to Disclose
Policy Adopted.
LARGE MAPS ARE EXHIBITED
Murmansk Peninsula Now Consid-
cred Most Vital Spot Where Pro-
lection of Railway Is Necessary.

WASHINGTON. July 6.-aIcasures ts
protect American interests in Russia
were approved by President Wilson
this afternoon ut an important confer.
ence at the White House. Following
the conclusion OF the meeting, Secre.
tary OF the Navy Daniels. who wa.
present, confirmed the reports tina,
american marines had been landed a,
Fladivostok to protect the American
consulate at that important Siberian
seaport.
what other measures are TO be taken
could not be learned. Others present
at the conference besides the Presiden,
and Secretary Daniels were Secretary
of State Lansing. Secretary OF War
Baker. General March. chief Of staff OF
the army. and Admiral Eenson. chief
OF naval operations.
Aids OF Admiral Benson. in attend
ance at tho meeting. carried to the
executive mansion huge maps of Rus-
sa. several mounted on heavy card
board and others in rolls. One OF the
mounted copies showed section OIL
the Siberian seacoast near VIadivostok
and cclored pins identified the units
OF the American Asiatic squadron In
those waters.
Olicial Washington Is tonight full
OF rumors concerning important an
nouncements to come. Attaches Of the
entente embassies who have been most
active In urging American approva! OF
n general allied military Intervention
in Washington were frankly In tho
dark as TO the decisions. II any, that
were reached at the conference.
Although II Is conceded that the sit
uation ut Vladivostok, where the
Czecho -Slovak forces have taken pos
session and where huge stores Of mil
itary supplies are piled up. is the most
pressing for the moment. the vital spot
Is declared to he the MurInansk pen
insulu. which neither Secretary Daniels
nor any OF those present at the White
House meeting would discuss.
Secretary Daniels refused either to
affirm or deny that American marines
and bluejackets have landed at kola.
In the Murmansk region. to assist in
the protection of the Murmansk rail-
way. IT Is through this region allied
military experts IN Washington Insist
that Germany, with the aid of Ger
manized Finland, proposes to drive one
Of the wedges BY which she means to
cut of Western Russia from all out
side aid. The other wedge. It is de-
clarcd. she means to drive through
from the Ukraine.
FINLAND DECLARATION
CONSIDERED SERIOUS
Not even in American official quar-
ters is there any disposition to mini
mizn the seriousness of tho threatened
declaration of war by Finland. Thc
in In m
with the Germans. latest reports to
the State Department say. have almost
completed an important military rail-
way lire from the Gulf OF Eothnia to
the vicinity of Ken, on the Cuff oil
Omega. IT is against the completion
Of this project. 1t is understood. that
the joint efforts of the British and
French marines. landed at kcl.,. arc
directed. Completion of the spur would
enable the Germans completely TO cut
the important railway line from kola,
where large supplies hive been gath
cred. 10 Pctroerad.
1t is through Kola that one OF the
movements toward intervention might
be launched. That port, 1t is de-
clared. is open far into the winter,
and the terrain lying between Kola
and Petrograd. marshy in most places
during the summer. is firm and easily
traversed in winter.
Maps of this, as we'll as Siberia,
were included in those studied at this
afternoons conference, and the fact
that both General March and Admiral
Benson were present, as we'll as the
Secretaries of War and Navy. led to
the assumption that the plans dis
cussed were both military and naval
in character.
VladivostolS. on the other hand. Of
fers advantages as starting point
for lnilitary Intervention for many
reasons. 1t is from this seaport that
the 100000 Czecho-Slovak forces are
strung out along the Siberian Rail-
way. These forces, made up of pris-
oners of war, captured originally from
the Austrians by the Russian armies,
but now pledged to fight the central
powers. were on their way to en-
bark from Vladivostols for France
when. contrary to n previous agree
ment. the Bolshevki. inspired by Ger
man agents. attacked them on their
way through Siberia. Moreover, 1t Is
at Vladivostok that huge stocks OF
war supplies. shipped from the United
States during the Kerensky regime,
are piled up.
BELIEVED SUPREME WAR
COUNCIL HAS APPROVED
Should Japan participate, it would
be with troops sent through Siberia
Undoubtedly. all these phases OF the
situation were before the President at
this afternoons conference. AS indi-
Gated In dispatches last night. events
OF the past few days In Russia have
created situation wherein the allied
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