The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-10
WILL ASSIST RUSSIA.
WAITING POLICY
HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO
END.
President Wilson Holds Inuo,tont
Conference With His Military
Chieftains.

washington, July 6.-America's
waiting policy in regard to military
action in Russia is understood to have
ended today at conferences at the
White House between President Will
son and Secretaries Lansing, Baker
and Daniels, Admiral Benson, chief
OF naval operations, and Gen. March,
army chief of staff.
There was no announcement after
the conference and probably will be
none for the present. but it was said
unofficially that an important deci-
sion had been reached.
Urgent appeals from the allied gov
ernments for American approval and
! cooperation in joint measures to meet
the German menace through Russia
have been before President Wilson for
! several days. Until now, however,
there has been no intimation that he
had changed his position, based upon
| recommendations Of his military ad-
visers, that a successful military ef~
| fort in Russia was not feasible.
For military reasons, strctest Sc
| crecy is observed concerning the ex-
| act nature of steps proposed by the
| lilies. American and allied naval
forces now are guarding war supplies
both at Vladivostok, terminal of the
transsiberian railroad, and Kola, ter
| minal Of the railroaa on the Arctic
coast, which is reported threatened
by German forces in the interior.
| Heretofore the hope of the Ameri-
can government has been that Russia
| might be helped solely by peaceful
means. 1t is realized, however, that
Ill these plans will require time to ex-
ecute and that in the meantime Ger
many is building a grave menace to
he allies in the Far East. The allied
'pokesmen have repeated that instead
OF improving, international conditions
Russia are going from bad to
worse. The Bolshevik government
has conceded German demands aimed
1T the political integrity of the coun-
| try.
When news came that the BOlshe-
Xxi were offering no resistance to the
| efforts Of the Finnish German troops
| 20 cut the railroad at Archangel and
\ola and seize the military stores at
| hose places and the whole Murmansk
coast as WELL. the military advisers Of
he entente pointed out the great dam
;er that impended to the closure of
he only channel of communication
| between the entente powers and the
interior of Russia except that in
| Siberia.
| Even under these meracing condi-
| ions America has held back while
he State department continued to
| gather information as to what was
going on. Now the department has
)een unable to hear from Ambassa-
lor Francis for almost two weeks, and
| is feared that i'm that time the
Germans have made great headway
n Russia.
Yesterdays meeting in Paris of the
| supreme war council is believed to
have taken action which influenced
the administration, although the mil
itary censorship has prevented the
publication Of any statements of it's
character.
Lord Reading, the British ambassa
| dor, was an early caller today upon
Secretary Baker and soon after it be-
came known that President Wilson
| had summoned the cabinet officers
| md naval military chiefs to the White
| House.
While the conference was in prog
ress Junior naval officers brought
| maps. including one of the transibe-
rian railroad, giving key to the ma
ture Of the conference. After an
hour and half it was made evident
that the results would be made
known officially only through the exc
cution of the plans agreed upon.