Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1919-05-01
VOL xxx.
WHY We Are In Russia.
Statesville Landmark.

What business have we there,
we are notat war with Russia?
are questions often heard in con-
nection with the American troops
in Russia. Talking before t h e
House of Commons in London,
the British premier, Mr.. Lloyd
George, gave an answer to these
questions that should satisfy rea-
sonable people.
When the treaty of Brest-Lito-
vsl has signed, Mr.. Lloyd George
explained. large parts of Russia
had no hand in the shameful act
and were in revolt against the
government that signedit. "They
raised arms at our instigation
and largely at our expense, but
that was absolutely sound militia
ry policy because without those
organizations the Germans would
have secured all the resources
which would have enabled them
to break the blockade.
"Bolshevism had threatenedto
impress by force of armsits dom
nations over those populations
which had revolted against it,
and it would have been an act
thoroughly unworthy of any
great land to say tothose popula-
tions we are exceedingly obliged
to you; you have servedyour pur.
pose and we need you no longer,
and have left them to the bolshe.
vik troops. 1t is our duty since
we asked them to take this step
to promise them support. We are
not sending troops, because ev.
cry Russian thought that if Rus.
sia were to be redeemed she must
be redeemed by her own sons
and they asked that we send
arms.
Our policy is to arrest the flood
of the present forcible eruption
of Bolshevism into allied lands
and for that reason weare organ
lied all the forces of all allied
countries bordering on Russian
territory from the Black to the
Baltic. If the bolsheviki attack
any Of our allies it isourb business
to defend them.
This is our policy but we want
peace in Russia. The world will
not be passive as long as Russia
is torn and rent by civil war. 1t
is our policy to make peace am
ong the warning nations not by
recognizing one party, but by in
ducing them to come together
with a view to setting up some
authority in Russia which would
be acceptable to the whole Rus
sian people and that the allies
could recognize as their govern
ment." He did not despair, he
said, of a solution being found.
In brief the foregoing means
that after the bolshevists made a
treaty with Germany during the
war, which was a practical sur
render Of Russia to oGermany, the
entente allies encouraged the op
position in Russia to fight the
agreement, which was soundmil
tary policy. as it tended to pre-
vent Germany getting all the ad
vantage which the treaty witt
Russia and the practical bolshe
viz surrender would otherwise
give her. Therefore, in the gen
eral plan Of defeating Germany
the allies not only encouraged
the Russians opposing the Dol
shevists programme to fight, bu'
aided and abetted them in doint
50. After the war with Germany
was over the danger still existet
for the anti-bolshovist in Russi
ans. If left without help the Dol
shevists would destroy them. l
would have been the basest in
gratitude after encouraging thes
people to fight, after using then
to help defeat Germany, to leav
them exposed to destruction a
the hands of their enemies q
ho,ro r,ho xua nt RI dostrnv then