Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-08
AMBASSADOR FRANCIS
SHOWS UP LENINE

Says Head Of BoIshsvik Government Is
in Pay Of Germany But Seeking to
Overthrow Organized Governments
Of All Nations-Trotsky Merely an
Adventursr.
Washington, March S.--Ambassador
David r. Francis, who went to Russia
In March, 1915, and represented the
United states at Petrograd and tenn
porary headquarters until the allied
and American diplomats departed from
territory controlled by the boisheviki,
told the story Of his experience in
sfauasis< today before the senate COM
mittee investigating lawless propagan-
da.
Beginning with his arrival at Petro-
grad when there was nc whisper Of
the coming overthrow Of the czar. Mr..
Francis alleged that his mission pri-
marily was to negotiate a new COM
mercial treaty to replace the one
abrogated because of Russia's attitude
toward travelling American citizens Of
Jewish birth. He told how the for
eign minister informed him that no
treaty would De negotiated until Rus
sian relations with the allies were
further defined and how shortly there
after a conclusion Of q treaty between
Russia and Japan was announced.
Mr.. Francis said he found the Ger
mans SO strongly entrenched In Rus
sia that they could not have been dis
lodged in years. AEven the war had
not broken their control over Russian
industry.
Mr.. Francis said there was no doubt
in his mind that Lenine was from the
beginning an agent of the German
government.
"The Germans never would have
permitted him to have come thru Ger
many had they not known he would be
useful to them," he said.
II believe that Lenine was even
more concerned about starting a world
wide revolution than he was about
furthering the interests Of Germany.
He later not only permitted but en-
couraged the reign Of terror which still
prevails In Russia"
Ambassador Francis described in de-
tail events preceding and Immediately
following the overthrow of the czar
and the ascension to power Of Keren-
sky. He said he believed Kerensky
made his big mistake when he failed
to arrest and try for treason both
Lenine and Trotsky. His personal
opinion. founded on intimate knowl-
edge Of conditions was, he said, that
Lenine was the brain Of the bolshevik
movement. that he was fanatic but
at the Same time held some sincere
ideas. Trotsky was described as being
purely an adventurer but was doni-
mated by Lenine whenever the pair
was in disagreement. Both, he said,
were usurpers, and did not represent
10 per cent OF the Russian people.
The Kerensky government, he said,
really stood for law and order and did
its best under trying conditions to set
up stable democratic government.
All during the Kerensky regime, he
said. the bolshevists were trying to un-
dermine the government and were Civ
en- assistance by monarchists and the
Black Hundred.
The ambassador said 1t was upon his
Recommendation that he was authoriz-
ed by the state Department. to recognise
the provisional government after the
overthrow Of the czar and he establish
ed no relations with the boIshev!st
government, but advised the state de-
partment that the bolshevists should
not be recognized. He described the
bolshevists having two objects in view
One to establish the rule of the prole-
tariat and to further the cause OF Ger
many by forcing Russia out of the war.
Mr.. Francis said ne was delighted
when the government Of the czar was
overthrown. He added there was as
much difference between the boise
Wiki government and the government of
Kerepsky AZ there was between the
provisional government and that Of the
lautocracy,
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