The Washington herald., 1918-08-04
JOINS JAPAN, HELPING
SIBERIA TO STABILITY
Muscovites Assured no Vio-
lation of Sovereignty
Will Be Permitted.
PROSPECT FOR FORMATION
. OF GREAT REPUBLIC CITED
Acting Secretary Polk Issues Coun-
try's Declaration of Economic
Commissions Purposes.

President Wilson has set his face
firmly against military intervention
In Russia in force under present con-
ditions.
The government OF the United
States has. however, proposed to
Japan that the two governments send
force of a few thousand men to
Nladivostock with the purpose Of CO.
operating as a single force in the
occupation of Vladiyostock and in
safeguarding the country to the rear
Of the westvard-moving Szecho-Slo-
vaks. The japanese government has
consented.
This. for the present. is the solu-
ton OF the Siberian and Russian
question. and, in the best opinion Of
high officials of Washington. 1t Is
the decision of true friend Of the
democracy of Russia.
i, The monientous decision was reached
after q conference OF -half an hour
at the State Department yesterday
afternoon with President Wilson,
Acting Secretary of State Polk and
Secretary Baker present.
President Wilson has always held
that one Of the great accomplish
ments Of an allied victory will be
the firm establishment OF democracy
in Russia. He has never lost faith
that order will grow out of the pres
ent chaos. and the the Russian peo-
pie. with what outside aid can
be properly rendered them. will find
themselves. and out of the travail
that has marked the birth OF many
nations. will come one OF the greatest
republics Of the world, and a stout
ally of world democracy.
Some time after the conclusion of
the conference at the State Depart
nlent. Acting Secretary of State Polk
issued the following carefully pre-
pared and comprehensive statement
giving the oficial view of this gov
ernment on American-Japanese ac-
tion in Siberia:
The Statement.
'In the Judgment of the government
OF the United States-a Judgment ar
rived at after repeated and very
searching consideration of the whole
situation military Intervention in
Russia would be more likely to add to
the present sad confusion there than
TO cure It. and would injure Russia
=. rather than help her out Of her dis
tresses.
such military intervention as has
been most frequently proposed. even
supposing it to be eflcacious in its
mediate object OF delivering an at
tack upon Germany from the east.
would, in its Judgment, be more
likely to. turn out to be merely a
method Of making use of Russia
than to be method of serving her.
Her people. IL they profited by II
at all. could not profit by it in time
to deliver them from their present
n - a
stance would meantime be used to
maintain foreign armies, not to re-
constitute their own or to feed their
own men. women. and children.
I'VE are bending all our energies
now to the purpose, the resolute and
confident purpose, of winning on
the western front. and it would in
the judgment of, the government of
the United States be most unwfse to
divide or dissipate our forces.
Seek Russ Wishes.
"As the Government Of the Unit
ed States sees the present circum-
stances, therefore, military action
Is admissible in Russia now only to
render such protection and help as
Is possible to the Czecho- SIovaks
against the armed Austrian and
German prisoners who are attack
ing them and to steady any efforts
at self-government or self-defense
In which the Russians themselves
may be willing to accept assistance.
Whether from vladivostok or
from Murmansk and Archangle, the
only present object for which Amer
lean troops win be employed will be
To guard military stores which may
subsequently, be needed by Russian
forces and to render such aid as
nav be acceptable to the Russians
In the organization of their own
yeif-defense-
with such objects in view the
government Of the United States is
now cooperating with the govern
ments of France and Great Britain,
in the neighborhood of Murmansk
and ArchangeL
U. 9. and Japan.
The United States and Japan arc
the only powers which are Just now
in a position to act in Siberia in
suffcient force to accomplish even
such modest objects as those that
have been outlined.
The government of the United
states. has therefore. proposed to
the government of Japan that each
OF the two governments send a force
Of a few thousand men to yIadi-
vostok. with the purpose of CO.
operating as q single force in the
occupation OF Vladivostok, and in
safeguarding, so far as it may. the
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