The Washington times., 1919-01-08
Today
England Quits Russia.
How Shall We Remain?
Why Are We There?
What Has Russia Done?
By ARTHUR BRISBANE.

are 70 be brought BACK as quickly
as possible That announcement
is made by the British govern
ment.
Americans win repeat the ques-
ton that Hiram johnson has been
asking in the United States Sem
ate.
what are our soldiers doing in
Russia? Why are they there?"
This country went to war with
Germany. That war Is ended.
Why are American soldiers shoot
ing and being shot In the snow In
Siberia.
This country does not like the
Russian Bolsheyik government,
and the Bolshevist government OF
Russia does not like the Govern
ment Of this country. We call
theirs insanity. They call ours
capitalism.
But Russia hasn't sent soldicrs
in northern Maine, Illinois or Ne
braska to shoot our farmers, regl-
late Us, and make rs have the gov
ernment they approve.
What is our army doing over
there? What business Is Il of ours
how they govern themselves?
Are our men to stay there until
shooting and killing builds up
situation OF hatred on both sides
that will bring on a formal decla-
ration of war by the United States
against Russia?
Tou read Of outrages on Ameri-
can soldiers by Russian troops.
These things are calculated to
bring On another war, and q war
with Russia might last a long
time, II we undertook to carry II
through completely and perTua-
nently. The Russian territory is
bigger than our own II has been
well said that to 20 fighting into
Russia Is like going into q feather
bed The farther you 90 the more
you smother. .-
The outrages against Americans
that the cables report are horrible
II true II the Russians decided to
educate as, 70 change our form Of
Government BY force, and came
here. shooting citizens, what do
you think would happen to strag-
Cling Russian invaders, caught bv
our population! Would they rot
be treated roughly?
Wise England vithdraws her
men. evidently concluding that 4
y not ber 6usfness 10 educate or
govern Russia. How long are 4hef
Americans to be kept there: hnw
many OF them are to be shot, and
for what?
What answer can We give to the
Russian peasants, who say, when
we were oppressed by the Gar,
the grand dukes. and the mobiles
that owned the land, you did not
eome here shooting our oppres-
sors- Now that We Try to govern
ourselves, now that we have got
rid Of our Car by revolution as
you Americans got rid Of your
King, you come and shoot Us. Why
do you do it,"
Are not the continents of North
and South America big enough for
the United States? Doesn't the
Monroe Doctrine represent a suf-
iciently big job.
IL We have the duty and right
TO correct bad government or no
government, couldn't we find oc-
eupation across the Rio Grande
rather than 20 as far as Siberia?
No matter what we think of the
Bolshevists, their governments and
their ideas, we should think, first
of al, about America, the Amerj-
can soldiers at this moment losing
their lives in Russia, and about
the others whose bodies will be left
over there II we undertook 20
compel submission and the accent
ance of our ideas of government
ov the hundred and thirty millions
Of Russians scattered over a terri
tory bigger than our own, how
long would It take, how many lives,
now many tens of billions would it
cost, and what would it be worth?
1t Is said we hate the Bolshevist
government, but that doesn't give
us the right TO shoot Russians
thst have not attacked US, no mat
ter what they may be doing to
each other. We hated the brutal
fanatic government Of Tibet also.
We sent no army there. And keep
ing our army in Russia, fighting
Is the very thing that will
strengthen the Bolshevists, solidify
the Russian people on their side.
and keep them in power. We are
playing the game for Lenine. and
well he knows it.
Whose chestnuts are being
pulled out of the fire by the SOL
diers Of the United States? How
wise are the British that publicly
announce their intention TO send
no more soldiers into Russia and
70 withdraw those now there.
A war is quickly started, not 50
easily ended.
And war Is expensive. II vouId