The Washington times., 1919-01-29
Sneaker Clark Takes the Floor
When He Leaves His Desk to Speak He Always has
somatbinp important to Say-This Time 1t
Was About Russia and American Soldiers

It is only once in great while and on only importa1
cc..ons that SNEAKER Clark descends from his desk
address the United States House Of Representatives IroI
the floor When he does speak he merits the widest an
most prominent publicity.
The subject which most recently demanded his after
on was the question Of the duty Of this country toWar
Russia and the Righteousness ungheouSnesS Of keepn
American soldiers under against the BosneVN Iorce
The Speaker cited the specific causes which Gale
American soldiers to and pointed out the purpose
which they enlisted to accomplish OF the Russian Asus
tion he said:
"If there were any reasonable hope Of our being
able within any reasonable time or with any reason
able face to establish peace and good government IN
Russia there might be great temptation to the ma
onal sentiment of people to make further sacr-
fees of our and our money to do It, but there
are 197000OO0 Of these Russian people How many men
would we have to send and how many years would they
have to stay to order and stable government
The experiment to promise would bankrupt US
of men and money and red American blood
Consider the multitude of conflicting and in
coherent people there. There nearly dozen peo
pies who do not speak the same language, or under
stand each other have any present basis of coherent
agreement.
'sThe task is hopeless for present American ad-
justment.
Russia must do as other nations have done. She
must do as France did in her chaos that preceded
popular liberty she must work out this Rehabilitation
herself It took France hundred years to do It, Rus
sa with the moral support of the other nations and in
the high examples and close contact of these times, can
reach readiustrent in a far shorter period.
''The obligation is not upon America with such
tremendous force and does not call for the colossal
sacrifices would entail upon our people to bring peace
and order to Russia 5000 miles away 1t is qulxotc
suggestion which does not impress the common sense
or the international charity of the American people
If the common sense and inherent qualities Of the
French people moulded order and civilization out OF
their chaos the qualities In the Russian people
will react against BoIsheviksm in time. If we can
prevail to establish astable government in Germany
which we must do for own welfare, and will do
the bulk and force of the international example Will
prevail with Russia ~
'sOur own American problems and responsibilities
are so vast and so compelling that we need all our
strength and genius applied to our home affairs Ior the
next few years. that may reconstruct our lnstu
tons to the necessities of the order and build up
our own country to stand model and exempar for
the popular governments of the world.
t"This is the first and highest duty of the great re-
public We cannot afford to drift into social revolu-
tion and chaos in the effort to pull giant nation out OF
the mud.
sIet us set our own house in order. Let US, indeed
be the international city set hill whose light of
good government cannot be hid and whose Statue of
Liberty must enlighten the world"
This speech Of Speaker Clark follows largely the tren
Of what Senator Hiram johnson has said at the other
Of the Capitol
Both Of these national legislators calling attention
70 question that sooner later receive direct
decisive action.
The longer American soldiers fight in the snow
swamps Of northern Russia and the below tempera
lures Of Arctic laitudes the fewer there will be to
back home to the country for which they enlisted fight