Arizona republican., 1919-07-26
J. {. TROOPS b|G RUSSIAN FACTOR
 WILSON ASSERTS
Tells Senate Army Force Is Vital Element in Keeping Open Siberian Rail Line Country Can Be Pro- tected From Anarchy only by Railroad Manned by Tanks
[Republican A. p. Leased wire1


 WASHINGTON, July 25.-President Wilson informed the senate today ID response to 8 resolution by Senator Johnson, republican. California that the presence of American troops in Siberia was a vital element in the restoration and maintenance of traffic on the Siberian railroad and that un- der the agreement with Japan they could be withdrawn only when the American railway experts operating the road were withdrawn.
 The president said Siberia could De protected from a further period oi chaos and anarchy only by keeping the railroad open and that lacking the prime essentials of life the people, there were looking 10 the United States and the allies for economic assistance. This already is being extended and additional supplies are to be sent for ward,
 Rowing bands having no connection with no organized government in Rus sia are menacing the railroad the president said and consequently pro, lection by the military is necessary American troops, he said now ar engaged in guard duty at NladivostoN and around Verchne Udinsk. A small body also Is al Harhln-
 The original purposes Of the Ameri- can military expedition. MT. Wilson wrote, were two fold. the saving of the Czecho- Slovak forces and the steady ! ing of the efforts of the Russians dt self defense or the establishment of I law and. order in which they might ! be willing to accept assistance.
 Military to Protect
 MDa (tt-g,. ffs inc 1 the expedition of 5000 men. was spe officially directed not to interfere in Russian affairs, the president said. but to support whenever necessary, John F. Travers. the American railway engi- neer, who is carrying out the work of rehabilitating the Siberian railroad un der the direction of the inter -allied committee
 The presidents message said that the decision to send American troops to Siberia was taken in conjunctior with Japan and in concert of purpose with the other allied powers, first of all to save the CZecho- Slovak arm ies which were threatened with de- struetion by hostile armies apparently organized by, and often largely com posed of, prisoners of war" The second purpose in view was to steady any efforts of the Russians at self defense. or the establishment of law and order in which they might be willing to ae- cept assistance.
 The net result was the successful reunion of the separate Czecho- Slovak armies" the statement continued, and the substantial elimination in eastern Siberia of the active efforts of the enemy prisoners of war A period of ] relative quiet then ensued."
 Kept Railroad Open
 l. In February, 1919. as a conclusion of negotiations begun earlier in the summer of 1918. the United States ac- cepted a plan proposed by Japan for the supervision of the Siberian rail- roads by an international committee under which committee John F. Stev- ems would assume the operation oi the Russian Siberian railway corps.
 At the request of the proyisiona government and with the support of Mir. Stevens, there was organized so- called Russian railway service corps : composed of American engineers. As s originally organized this corps consti ii tuted 14 skeleton division units.
 Owing to the bolshevik uprising and the general chaotic conditions, neither , MT. Stevens nor the Russian railway a service corps was able to begin work ir f Siberia until March, 1918. They navs D been able to operate effectively only
 since the railway plan was adopted ir l February. 1919
 Tn accepting the railway plan. i
 was provided that some protection should be given by the allied forces , MT. Stevens stated frankly that h would not undertake the ardous tasl U before him unless he could rely upol . support from American troops in al emergency. Accordingly, as provide' ' in the railway plan, and with the ap
 proval of the inter allied committed 2 the military commanders in Siberi; ! have establishde troops where it i necessary to maintain order at differ ent parts of the line. The Americal
 forces under General Graves are un D derstood to be protecting parts of tn y line near Nladivostok, and also on tn
 section around Verchne Udinsk. Ther also is understood to be small bod of American troops at Harbin. Q No Interference with Russia Q The instructions to General Grave e direct him not to interfere in Russia e affairs, but to support Mr. Steven = wherever necessary. The Siberian rail . road IS not only the main artery fo X transportation in Siberia, but is tn -l only open access to European Russi s today. The population Of Siberi; d whose resources have been almost ex o hausted by the long years of war an e the chaotic conditions which have ex v, lsted there, can be protected from 1T further period of chaos and anarch d only by the restoration and maintenae if of traffic along the Siberian railway
 Partisan bands under leaders hay
 ing no settled connection with any or gaDized government and bands unds
 leaders whose allegiance to any settle
 authority is apparently temporary an
 transitory, are constantly menacin
 the operation of the railway, and tf
 safety of it's permanent structures.
 "The situation of the people of S
 beria. meantime, is that they have n
 shoes or warm clothing; they al
 pleading for agricultural machiner
 and for many of the simple necessitit
 on which their own domestic ecopon
 depends and which are necessary [, l. fruitful productivenes. They have COT > tributed thgir quota to the Russia sr armies which fought the central en al pires for three and one-half year. IS they now look to the allies and tf d United States for economic assistanc h Siberia Depends On Railway r. The population of western Siber lg and the forces of Admiral Kolchak al J. entirely dependent on these railway i- The Russian authorities in tn