New-York tribune., 1919-02-18
w ar Council
Now Planning
With q raw al
Continued from page l

President desires that his action and
the reasons for it be communicated
to the military committees of the
Senate and House for their nforma-
ton"
IN addition to the foregoing,
General Bliss tells me that the
British government is sending
force Of about 2,4OO men to Muir
the co0peration of the President to
the extent of two companies of rail
way troops above referred to. The
desire for the railway troops is
based upon the fact that supplies
and reinforcements for Archangel
during the winter have to go by
railroad south from Murmansk to a
point near the southern extreme of
the White Sea and that the opera
tion of this railroad is believed by
the British to be absolutely ncces-
sary TO guarantee the prompt move
mcnt Of reinforcemcnts and supplies
to Archangel and the troops south
of Archangcl. General Bliss also in
forms me that the British military
authorities do not feel any appre-
hension as to the military situation
at Archangel.
ain accordance with the direction
of the President, transmit this in
formation to the Senate committee
on military affairs.'
johnson Demanded Withdrawal
The Presidents decision to withdraw
American forces from Russia follows
an agitation in Congress for several
months against the use of the armed
forces of this country against the Boil
shevki in North Russia. Senator John
son, of California, has been the prime
mover in this agitation, a resolution
introduced by him calling upon the
President to recall American troops
from Russia having been defeated by
the vote of Vice President Marshall
only last week after a tic vote in the
Senate. 1t has been contendcd that
the President was using the armies OF
the United States in Russia in direct
contravcntion of law and without the
necessary authority from Congress II
that this country had never declared
the existence of state of war with
any Of the factions in Russia
More recently the situation has be
come increasingly embarrassing foi
the Administration through reports
tended some sessions Of the peace con
florence in Paris, to the effect that the
casualties in Russia had been heavy
and that the American expedition was
in danger of annihilatiOn unless
prompt measures were taken either tc
give them adequate support or to with
draw American soldiers from Russia
To day Senator johnson said:
"Whcn, on the 18th day of Decem-
ber last, we commenced the agitation
for the return of our troops in Rus
sia for the sole purpose of saving the
lives Of American boys there, we had
little sympathy and less support. After
moro than two months of absolute
silence on the part of the government
the denial of information of any sort
either to Congress or to the people,
comes to-day's communication, the first
of its kind. to the military committees
that our soldiers would be returned
The strangeness of this communica-
ton does not detract from my very
great gratihcation.'
II feel that Senator Johnson has
won his fight" said Senator William
+. Borah "The country owes him a
boys out Of Russia. The presence of
our troops there was undoubtedly a
source of irritation and was arousing
suspicion in the minds of all the Rus
sian people We did not have a suf-
hcicnt number there TO do anything
cfiectual even if we had had in mind
the particular thing we wanted to do
But We did have enough to create in
the minds of the Russian people the
feeling that we had some ultimate and
sinister design. am glad that nc
more of our soldiers are to be sac
riticed and that they arc coming home