The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-12
I" INSIDE DOPE" ON
RUSSIAN CONFERENCE

delegation to the Island of Prinkipo
to confer with representatives of the
various factions, the origin of the pro-
posal has been great mystery ! am
able TO clear UP this mystery. 1t Is
u most interesting story.
About the time President Wilson
made his trip to England, he received
reports from American agents in
Russia to the effect that the Bolshe-
wiki were DESTROYS of trading with the
allies. He discussed this informa-
ton with Premier Lloyd George. when
he reached London. The British
prime minister concluded IT was most
desirable to bring about peace In
Russia, and If possible. TO have Russia
participate In the peace conference.
1t was decided the most advisable
procedure would be to have the peace
conference appoint a commission to
treat with the Russian faction of all
shades.
Lloyd George wrote Il letter to the
French foreign minister. NJ. Pichon,
telling him OF his own and President
Wilson's wish. NJ. Pichon and
Premier Clemenceau--to whom the
foreign minister showed the Lloyd
George Ietter--were indignant over
the suggestion. Response was made
TO Lloyd-George that the French
would not consent to sending de1ega-
ton 10 treat with the "Bolshevik as
sassins.'
In the meantime. Lloyd George In
formed Viscount Northcltffe OF the un-
|derstandlng which he and President
Wilson had reached about Russia.
Before NJ Pichon's reply had been
received by Lloyd George. Niscounr
Northcliffe, who likes to anticipate
i'm portant diplomatic actions. gave an
interview to the Philadelphia Public
| Ledger, which he subsequently re-
produced in the London Daily Mall un~
der Il copy right line, in which he
said.
II have been for sometime OF the
| opinion that the world powers should
! sink their pride for moment and
| get into communication with the Boil
sheviki, with the purpose of sending
an allied commission into Russia to
find out what Is really going on there.
| Such a commission should he accom-
panied by persons whom the .Bolshe-
vik Russians do not regard as hostile.
One is believe. the head Of your own
| Red Cross in Russia. Colonel Ray
mond Robins. There il also an Eng
, ish writer named Arthur Ransome.
| l have no right to use their names.
but the emergency is great and quick
I
know what is really happening"
| The Northcliffe interview contain
ling the above quotation appeared IN
the London Mail of January IL. VIII
| liam Allen White saw 1t and thought
he Northcliffe suggestion a good one.
! So far as he knew. it was original
with the Niscount. He took copy
of the Mail to the American high com
missions and told them he thought
the suggestion ought to be acted upon.
He was not informed that the sugges-
ton had really come from President
Wilson. Nor was he told that Pichon
land Clemenceau were violently oppos-
ed to It.
There the matter rested. and PROT
ably would still be resting II Socia-
list paper had not in some way gotten
hold Of the facts about the willing
mess of the Bolsheviki to treat with the
alliese. the disposition of President
Wilson and Premier Lloyd George to
meet them half way and the unyield
ing hostility of Pichon and Clemen-
lceau to the proposal
Thte French paper published It's
information except, OF course. the
iantaConism OF Pichon and Clemen-
ceau. The publication caused a SEN
Isation. At once the question was on
all lips: 'If the the Bolshaviki are
willing to confer with the allies, who
is opposing II -
The French "n"c!gn office, fearing
that an answer lat question might
be most embarr; m that It would
show Clemencea Pichon in op
position to Wilsc lloyd George,
lat once withdrew position. .
On February {, /, announced
that the conference with the Russians
would he on Prinkipos Island and that
William Allen White and Professor
George p. Heron would be the Ameri-
can delegates.
| Now. have cleared up the mystery
| about the origin OF the suggested
Princes Island conference. but there
is new mystery about it. which Is
equally puzzling. This is the change
Iof viscount Northcliffe with respect
to the proposal. The Daily Mail, of
March Z. had an editorial which said:
by all accounts the Prinkipos pro-
posaI Is dead. IT would have been
better had 1t never been born. But
little judicious publicity concerning
its real. though not necessarily its I'M
mediate origin might still do good.
Were all the facts available they
might indicate that the scheme for
allied recognition Of the Bo1sheviki
was originally Matched by much the
Isame people as those who sent Trotzky
and his associates with a mandate OF
cash TO destroy the power Of Russia as
an ally. and to turn the Russia revolu-
ton to German, or pro-Gcrman ends.
by the time it appeared In the
council OF ten II wore another and ap-
parently harmless aspect. Those who
supported It were probably quite igno-
rant of its origin. The proposal that
the allies should recognize the Boil
sheviki was meant by those who origt-
naliy conceived. but not by those who
supported II without understand II to
| be Prikas No !. OF the league of ma
lions, AVID N1ar II was entered to
stamp the allied people which had
been fighting for the triumph OF JUS
! tice and right in the world as the ae-
completes OF bandit assassins."
! ''Urikas No. I" to which the edi-
torial refers was a Bolsehvist army
order relieving the soldiers OF the obli-
CATION to salute their chief officers.
| yiscount Northcliffe. who took
| credit for the proposed conference