Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-26
AME ERICAN TROOPS
STILL NEEDED IN
SIBERIA, WILSON
INFORMS SENATE
Expeditionary Force Was Re-
Quired For Protection of
Railroads Managed by Corps
From the United States,
RETENTION FOLLOWING
WAR IS IMPERATIVE
Rowing Bands of Russians,
Owing No Allegiance to Gov
ernment, Must Be Guarded
Against.
lay MORNING JOURNAL srrc,AL LEASED wrssl

tsr MORNING JOURNAL srEcIAL LEASED wrssl
Washington, July 25.-President
Wilson informed the senate today in
response to a resolution by Senator
johnson. republican of California,
that the presence Of American troops
in Siberia was n vital element in the
restoration and maintenance Of traf-
fiC on the siberian railroad and that
under the agreement with Japan they
could be withdrawn only when the
American railway experts operating
the road Were withdrawn.
The president said Siberia could be
protected from a further period OF
chaos and anarchy only - keeping
the railroad open and that lacking the
prime essentials of life the people
there were looking to the United
States and the allies for economic as
sstance. This already is being eX-
tended and additional supplies are to
be sent forward
Rowing bands having no connection
with any organized government in
Russia are menacng the railroad. the
president said. and consequently pro-
lection by the military $ necessary.
American troops. he said, now are en-
gagged in guard duty at Vladivostok
and around Verchne Udnsk. A small
body also is at Harbin
Original Purpose
The original purposes of the Amer
lean military expedition. MIR. Wilson
wrote. were two fold. The saving Of
the Czecho- o-Slovak forces and the
stoadyinr of the efforts of the Rus
slams at self-defense or the establish
ment of law and order IN which they
might be willing TO accept assistance.
Major General Graves, command
ing the expedition of 5000 men, was
! specifically directed not to interfere
| in Russian affairs, the president said.
| but to support wherever necessary
John II. Stevens, the American rail-
way engineer who is carrying out the
work of rehabiNtating the Siberian
railroad under the direction of the
| inter-allied committee.
Saved Czccho- SIoyaks.
The presidents message said that
| the decision to send American troops
to Siberia was taken in conjunction
with Japan and IN concert of purpose
with the other allied powers. first OF
! all to save the C2echo-SloNak armies
| Whlcn were thItateleu WIN ut2.l "
ton by hostile armies apparently or
ganl2ed by, ana otteh largeiy COM
posed OF prisoners OF war. ne ne, SET
ond purpose IN view was 10 1s Sse5uE 5ofo a.,S
eltorls Oh t,l0 itussl'l9 rs ~ aei ~.
or '',e eSla VI -" H,,i gu
III Wl'Dlt ,,,Itut,,-,o 10y ''''S''' ~ "''''''7
'epu "N,'st ro,,+ u,,s tbo succeesf,,l
,,,,nio,, ~ of tbo eonarated Czecho,
cio,,al, armies" +" the statement con-
tinuod ,'ond tbe substantial eIimina-
lion In easterr siberia Of the active
efforts of enemy prisoners Of war. A
neriod of relative uuiet then ensued.
I'm February. 1919, as a conclusion
| of negotiations begun early in the
summer of 1918, the United States ac
cepted a plan proposed by Japan Tor
| the supervision Of the Siberian rail
ways by an international committee
under which committee Mr.. John r
stevens would assume the opera'loi'
of the Russian railway service corpsi
AT the request OF tIle ProV'sto''s ''s' ,,
government, ana WIN tHe suppoi W
Mr.. stevens, there was oIEanl@eu Iuo
so-called Russian railway selNlIo
corps composed or American ensi-
ne1rs' AS oFlBinaIiS "i sa,h%o!l 'iii'
corps constituted tourtcc" SNeletoh III
vision units,
OWING to the folsheFlN uprising anu
the general chaotic conditions, heither
Mr.. stevens nor the RUSSIAN railway
service corps was able TO begin WorN
!
have since been able to operate et-
fectivcly only since the railway plan
I was adopted in February, 1919.
Protection Required.
an accepting the railway plan, 1t
was provided that some protection
/ should be given the allied forces Mr..
stevens stated frankly that he would
I not undertake the arduous task before
him unless he could RELY upon support
4 from American troops in an emer-
pencv Accordingly as provided in the
railway nlar ana with the approvai
/ of the inter-aIIied committee. the milf
; -, oa,nr,ordcrs in Sfhorio have es-
= totiishod troo,,s ,,hore il 10 necessary
| - r,aintain orJcr Of diffsrent parts of
3 - Ii, ,rL ,,,,,,.iea,, fo,,cos upder
I,, 1tie my ,,iarstood to bo
pel.,.a a. VI s 49,, tt,,a nc,r VIad
VI ~ 1''e pg' '' w. 49, sa,tior
= NoS'on' d'u az ,,,.I. nj, ~ aIsn
7 drou"u Ntt chHV '"'''9N' -