Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-09-17

north Russia, might now. otherwise,
find themselves exposed to BolsheVik
vengeance, Considerable numbers OF
persons, including women and child
ren, in addition to the British troops,
have therefore to he evacuated by
sea. Yet all the time the front has
to be maintained largely by Russian
troops against an enemy who is we'll
informed of,all that is taking place.
The simple process advocated by
a certain class of persons of march
ing the British troops into their
and sailing away under
cover of the guns of the warships
would result in a series of episodes
which would be dishonorable TO the
British name
In this connection attention must
be drawn particularly to statements
which have been published purporting
TO emanate from Lieut.. Col. Sherwood
Kelly. This officer was on August 16
removed from the command of his
battalion at Archangel and sent back
to England by General Lord Rawlinr
SON for a serious offense under the
army act. General Lord Rawlinson
has reported that he refrained from
trying him by court-martial only on
account of his gallant fighting record,
Now he is alleged to have committed
an offense against the kings reg
ulations, in regard to which discl-
plinary action has been taken,
The decision to eVacuate Archangel
and Murmansk was come to last
February under the advice of the gen.
eral staff. Ample notice was given the
Russian authorities of this intention,
and they were encouraged and aided
to make themselves self-supporting. 1t
was also decided that, in the event OF
these Russian efforts failing, means
of refuge should be offered to all who
had reason to fear being left behind
on shore,
Kolcbak's Failure.
Therefore, when in May the adj
vance of Admiral Kolchaks armies
from Siberia offered the hope and
even the prospect that he would be
able to effect a junction between his
army and the north Rus
sian troops, Gen. William E. Ironside
was instructed to prepare q plan for
facilitating this junction. This plan
was approved by the cabinet. Had 1t
been possible to carry it into effect
the British forces could have left
north Russia without risk or difficulty,
and without anxiety as to the fate of
the north Russian government and
army. There would them have been
no necessity for the British and
French governments to send the addi-
tional achievements which are now
on the spot.
But Admiral Kolchak's armies, so
far from advancing. have retired hum
dreds of miles to the eastward, and
no hope of .effecting a Junction with
him before winter remains. The gov
eminent was therefore forced to face
again the difficult and painful altern-
alive which they had not shrunk
from at the beginning of the year but
which they later had some hopes
might be avoided. at any rate in its
most anxious form.
Baltic RumOrs.
Another crop of rumors and reports
has grown up about various anti-Bol-
shevlk forces in the Baltic states and
on the Petrograd front. The main
authority for all these is to be found
in the Bolshevik wireless, 1t must be
first, that no British troops
are employed, or ever have been en-
D1tstNy al liilH AiGfAASiAg anu nRbpAAhAg =
that his majesty's government has
always seduiously refused to accept
for the success or fail
ure of any military operations there.
OF course the British navy, with its
superb efficiency. has prevented the
Bolshevik fleet from raiding the
Baltic ports. In this quarter there are
two different sets of dangers which
in far reaching manner,
the interests not only of Great Britain
but of the victorious allies. The first
is the overrunninS of these small
states by Bolsheviki and their conse-
quent reduction to anarchy and ruin.
The second is the rescue of these
small states from this danger by the
Germans and the consequent estab-
lshment of Germany as the predomi-
nant Influence in the Baltic and. ulti-
mately. over Russia.
The resources at the disposal of this
country would not enable us. single
handed, to avert either of these dam
gers. Blu. they have for some time
engaged the attention of the peace
conference in Paris. The problem is
clearly one which can be grappled
with only by the victorious allies act
ing in concert.