Arizona republican., 1919-01-10
RUSSIAN STATUS. BODY BLOW. FROM SEN. bORAH.
Says Russia Should Be Per mitted To Work Out Own Affairs = Demands To Know Plans And Purposes Of Ad m his tr ation- Swanson Defends.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-Operation of American troops in Russia was de- tended and criticised today in the sen ate, half a dozen senators participat- ing in q vigorous debate which con tinued several hours.
 Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska, chairman of the foreign relations com mittee, opened the discussions by de- livering a prepared speech in reply to recent addresses of Senators Johnson of California and LaFollette of Wis consin, republicans, who had sharply criticised retention of American sol diers on Russian soil.
 Senators Johnson, Borah of Idaho. and France of Maryland, republicans replied to MT. Hitchcock, and Senators Swanson of Virginia and King of Utah democrats, defended the administra- tion's course.
 Chairman Hitchcock justified inter- vention in Russia, denounced the bol- shevik government as pro-German and declared that the expeditions in both northern Russia and Siberia were pure ly defensive and entirely friendly to the loyal Russian people.
 'Only 126 Been klIed'
 Reports of fighting by American forces in Russia have been greatly exaggerated" said Senator Hitchcock as only 126 Americans have been killed since the landing at Archangel From Vladivostok to the Ural mountains he said, there has been no fighting for months. and the inter allied forces have been received by the Russian peo- pie with "open arms"
 Senator Borah, in reply, opposed any intervention in Russian internal af- fairs. Without criticising the send ing of troops to Russia, Senator Borah said retention of American forces there nov is justified only in holding mill tary stores from the Germans, or ir carrying out the general purpose of the war. against Germany
 Senator Borah said Russia should be permitted to work out her own gov ernmental affairs and he joined with Senator Johnson in demanding an of ficial statement from the administra- tion of it's plans and purposes ir Russia.
 Swanson Defends Course
 Senator Swanson. in defending the administration course, cited President Wilson's statement in his fourteen peace principles and declarations in the armistice terms imposed on Ger many as assurances that America is friendly to the Russian people, anu that Russian territorial and politica integrity and independence are assured The administration policy was at tackled by Senator France as "sus- piciously secretive.' The Maryland senator contended that Russia was ( neutral when her soil was invaded by the allied and American troops and declared that the Invasion like the German invasion of Belgium, was most unexplainable and inexcusable.
 Senator Nelson of Minnesota, re- publican, asserted that bolshevism i: losing ground gradually, while Senator King expressed regret that greater vigor had not been exercised by Amer. ica and the allies for the purpose o "walling in the bolsheviki-those mur. 1 derouS mad men,"
 Before the senate adjourned. Sena. tor Thomas, democrat, of Colorado announced he would discuss the Rus sian situation when the senate recon vened Monday.