The Washington herald., 1919-03-08
RUSSIAN POLICY
SPURS ANARCHY,
VIEW OF ROBINS
Intervention Would Do
Much to Spread Bolshe-
vism in World, He Says.
CLASHES AT HEARING
Heckling Of Witness by
Senators Causes John
son to Intervene.

Intervention Of American and allied
troops in Russia would do more to
spread Bolshevism to the rest of the
world than to prevent it, Col. Ray
mond Robins told the Overman SUBJ
committee of the Senate yesterday.
His testimony was a continuation OF
the story begun before the committee
Thursday, based upon his experiences
while In Russia as head of the Ameri-
can Red Cross. mission.
Intervention would be only for
profit" Col. Robins declared. 1t
would mean that the nations intended
to exploit Russia. This would be par
ticularly true as regards Japan. 1t
would be resented at the point Of the
bayonet by the whole Russion people"
Denounces Allied Policy.
Col Robins in strong terms denounc-
ed the American and allied policy
which led to the sending of troops into
siberia. He said that he believed the
RUSSIAN people should be permitted to
get the kind of government they de-
sire without the use of foreign rifles
TO try to force them to adopt some
other kind of government to protect
some foreign interest"
Sending of these troops into Russia,
Col. Robins continued, has created a
spirit of unrest in England and In
Canada, where reyolts were started
against the use OF force against what
was believed to be an attempt to
create representative government.
That was a bad cure for Bolshe-
vism." he said, 'and only made mat
tiers worse. l would warn those who
would reach conclusion as to the
conditions in Russia that they should
be careful as to whose testimony re-
garding those conditions they will ac-
cept"
Again Advocates Mission.
Col Robins again disavowed in
emphatic terms that he supported
or endorsed the Bolshevik move
ment in any degree. He declared
that he knew the beast" and a
true statement of what BoIshevism
means will do more than anything
else to turn the people of America
against it. He said his mission to
America was not to advocate the
policy of keeping hands of Russia,
but TO propose sending of a conipe-
tent mission to Russia to make a
correct study of the situation. He
added:
IF it should be found that the
Bolshevik government is the only
power in Russia. that it is the kind
of government the majority of the
Russian people want. then / certain
ly should be in favor of having that
government recognized by the
United States. But / am opposed to
the use of American troops in Rus
sia against the Russian revolution
airy government on false state
ment of conditions there. We should
be careful to know what we are do
ing. Such use of force will create
in this country and in other lands
the feeling of resentment and will
tend to stir up class against class"
Clashes with Senator's.
Several times during Col. Robins
testimony he was drawn into violent
clashes with members of. the COM
mittee. especially with Senators Mel
son, of Minnesota, and Sterling, of
South Dakota, both Republicans of
the ''old guard type. These two
Senators exhibited such signs Of hos
tility to Col. Robins attitude that
upon two occasions Senator Hiram
Johnson. of California who was seat
ed in the room, registered a vigor-
Gus protest against the manner in
which the witness was being treated.
Senator johnson explained that al
though he was not a member of the
committee, he believed the witness
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.