Evening journal., 1918-08-15
U. S. HAS BROKEN
WITH BOLSHEVIKI
Moscow Consul Departs as
Lenine Words Act as
War Declaration
SOVIETS' THREATS
WITHOUT EFFECT

WASHINGTON, Aug. i5.-The Unite
States has severed all connections witt
the Bolsheviki and even the consular
representatives which the government
has maintained In Moscow have aban.
doned their duty since August ,.
Official report has reached the State
Department from the American Minis.
ter at Sweden that the Swedish For
eign 0flce has informed him that on
August 5 the Swedish Consul General
at Moscow took temporary charge OF
American as well as English and Japan
sse interests.
The State Department has received
several kilograms from American Con
sul-Geaeral Poole at Moscow concern
ing the declaration Of war on the Al
lies by Nikolai Lenine. the Bolsheyik
leaders. and other recent events. One OF
the kilograms, similar in character to
a previous message received through
other channels, states that on July %
enine declared repeatedly before an of
fcial gathering Of the Soviets that a
state Of war existed between the Rus
sian Republic and the Allied Powers.
Because Of this the diplomatic repre-
sentative In Moscow Of Great Britain
and the consular representatives OF
France, Italy and the United States Wis
tied the Commissariat for Foreign Az
fairs and inquired II Lenines declara-
tion should not be considered a declara-
tion OF war, involving the rupture OF
de facto relations and the departure Of
the consuls.
Tchitcherin said that IL need not he
so understood. that It was state OF
defense rather than a state Of war and
that the government desired to con-
tinue its relations with the Entente. as
It did with Germany under analogous
circumstances.
The consuls demanded that to be |
acceptable any explanation must be /
publicly made by the head Of the gov
ernment himself They also pointed
out that the question was inseparable
from that Of the departure Of the MEM
bers Of the former military mission.
After having agreed to facilitate the de-
parture Of these persons, in accordance !
with international law the govern
ment, they said, had raised absolutely
nadmissible objections. The foreign ,
also stated that they
could not see IN this attitude anything ,
put confirmation Of Lenlne's declaration
n the existence Of a state Of war.
rchicherln said he would give a reply ,
within three days.
On the night OF August a reply was
received from Tchltcherin. It stated
That inasmuch as Lenine's utterances
we're made behind closed doors I'm a
meeting at which an agent Of the Al
Hes could be present only owing 20
'sep2rate courtesy on the part Of the
s1Viet Government public explanations
could not be given about non-public
utterances. As 10 the members OF the
military missions Tchitcherin said that
negotiaitons had been begun with the ,
German authorities TO procure safe
passage from petrograd to Stockholm
Tor these officers, passage through
Nchangel being impossible because
British cruisers had already begun the :
Of The Islands covering !
A third report from Consul-Ge u
'oole refers TO the arrests OF British =
nd French citizens at Moscow. on the y
fternoon Of August there was a con- :
erence between Tchlteherin and the q
onsuls-General Of Japan, Sweden and n
he United States with the following g
esults: a
First, the Soviet Government gave, q
olemn assurances that allied persons n
aving diplomatic or official. character
lould not be molested; second, Tchlt- m
herin stated the allied military mis- N
ions would not be allowed to depart as n.
ad been promised; third. that civil eC
ersons arrested were hostages for the IA
YES OF Soviet members in territory 81
coupled by the Allies. h
Tchitcherin said that these persons ~
re civil prisoners arrested, in accord tN
nee with the practices OF war, for in G.
lie added that no response .,
ility could be assumed for their fu- =,
ire safety because Great Britain and
rance had attacked Archangel with n
ut a declaration Of war. AZ
Mr.. Poole stated that he was without :,
OF what had taken place IN N
ne north, but warned Tchitcherin that n,
le peoples Of the allied nations could Al
OF be intimldated and that the iniHa- In
on OF a system Of reprisals by the di
)viet Government could only result in n,
dlyidual members OF the Government
ling held personally responsible and SO
the loss by the Bolshevlki cause OF "
hatever respect II might now have in p,
e minds OF the civilized world pr
\ fourth message from Mr.. Poole. St
ted August G. stated that the authori- Sy
's forcibly entered the Consulates- Er
neral Of France and England on the IN
Eernoon Of the nth and arrested the Of
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