Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-13
CALIFORNIAN IS
INSISTENT THAT
u. S. Is AT WAR
Senator Johnson Demands
Definite Statement as to
Americas Russ Policy
BY Associated Press

Washington, Dec. IL. - Senator
Johnson, of California, Republican,
in an address to the Senate to-day,
demanded a definite statement of
the American governments policy
toward Russia. He declared a state
of war with the Soviet government
actually exists without formal
declaration of hostilities, and, ask
ing a long series of questions, in
troduced Il resolution calling upon
the State Department for all docu-
ments and information regarding
the nations course in Russia and
upon the War Department for a
statement of American troops in
Russia and casualties among them.
Wants Polk to Explain
For the information of Congress
and the American people, Senator
johnson said, he wanted to know
whether it is true that this govern
ment never replied to a plea from
the Russian Soviet government to
help avert the shameful treaty of
Brest," and whether the assistant
secretary of state, speaking for the
President, refused Intervention last
March, stating that to intervene in
Siberia would be doing in the East
exactly what the Germans were do
ing in the West"
Claims Soviet Tender of Help
is it true" the senator con-
tinued, that the Russian Soviet gov
ernment offered through its highest
economic council a program for
making America the most favored
foreign nation in trade and COM
merce and involving the control by
the Allies all those supplies most
/ desired by the central empires?
rs it true that representatives
of the American Red Cross remain
ed in Soviet Russia until October, in
perfect safety and reasonable COM
fort even after we had interviewed
and American troops were lighting
the soldiers of the Soviet govern
ment?
rs it true that the Department of
State has refused TO allow the Amer
lean Red Cross to ship supplies to
Moscow and Petrograd for the re-
lief of the returning Russian war
prisoners from Germany?
rs it true that the American am
bassador and the British high COM
missioner in Russia recommended
cooperation with the Soviet govern
ment through the American Rail-
road Mission, that the Soviet gov
ernment invited this cooperation
and promised control of the Siberian
railway to be placed in the hands
of his mission, and that these rec:
concentrations were refused by the
American government largely as
result of misinformation received
through the Creel committee, sup
ported by leaders and representa-
tivos of the old regime in Russia ?"
Senator Johnson asked also
whether IL is true that a Russian
speaking and experienced British
high commissioner, sent to Russia
after the Bolsheviki revolution, re-
ported as late as May 5, 1918, that
the Soviet government had COOP
Grated with the Allies, and that he
believed that intervention in co-op-
Grafton with the Soviet government
was feasible; and whether the Amer
lean government so delayed coop
Grafton with the Kerensky govern
ment's plan to support the morale
of the army and maintain that pro-
visional government in power as to
contribute largely to the overthrow
of Kerensky and the success of the
Bolsheviki revolution.
The Senate foreign relations COM
mittee and the State Department,
Senator Johnson said, cannot or have
not answered these questions.
CrlticiscS Policy of Silence
II understand. full WE'LL" Senator
Johnson continued, that the pecu-
liar intolerance which has been fos-
tered in the past few months, the
state of minded deliberately cultivat-
ed which has sought to bully and to
terrorize either mild objector or
seeker for information will look ask
ance at one so lost as to ask the
facts concerning Russip. and our
narticipation I'm its affairs. But
those of us who are neither Bolshe-
Wiki nor in sympathy with Bolshe-
vism, of course, would be unfit to
sit here if we feared to pursue
legitimate inquiry"