The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-02-23
EX-CLERGYMAN, AGENT
OF TROTzW, DENIES
TALES OF TERRORISM
A. r. WILLIAMS SAYS HE
WORKED ALWAYS AGAINST
HUN IMPERIALISM

Washington, Feb. 22.-Albert
Rhys Williams, who has been
termed the agent and propagandist
of the Russian bolsheviki in this
country and who described himself
as a lecturer, writer and former
Congregational minister, appeared
today before the senate commit
tee investigating lawlcss propa-
ganda. He said he returned to set
up for the bolsheviki bureau sim
liar to that formerly maintained
in Russia by the commission on
public information, but that the
plan was abandoned because the
United States did not recognize
the soviet. After going to Russia
as a correspondent for the New
York Evening Post, he said ne be-
came associated with the bolsheyl-
ki government,
The witness said Russians did
not look with favor upon condi-
tions in the United States or on
what they termed the bitter class
war here. Responding to a ques-
ton by Senator Oyerman, Will
liams said the word bolshevilli act
uallv meant the shortest cut to
socialist He declared stories OF
terrorism in Russian were eXag-
gerated. He asserted that not
more than Is people were killed in
the seizure OF the government by
the bolsheviki and denied the truth
of stories OF the rape OF the wo-
mems battalion
Mr.. Williams criticised previou.
witnesses and the stories OF chao.
and terror they told. "Why,' hC
said, during all this revolutionary
period and terror they pictured, mo-
a single one Of 20 Americans VIII,
can come here to testify was eve
struck by a bullet ! don't be
licye any missed a meal, and the,
came out Of Russia on an interna
tional sleeping car.
Threatened With Arrest
Williams said he is not now il
employ OF the bolsheyiki and mad
this explanation: After the sign
ing of the armistice (the Brest
Litoysk treaty., Trotzky addresse
an appeal to the toiling masses o
{ Germany to rise in revolution. TIL
president OF the American Re
, Cross mission in Russia, Raymon
! Robins, stated he would give 100
/ 900 rublcs for printing that an
. getting it into German hands. II
suggested that | should approac
3 Trotzky. This did, bringin
p down upon my head the wrath
c Trotzky. who threatened to ARE:
S me as an agent OF American cap
talism who was trying to bril-
him.
+ Immediately after this, how
ever, there was opened up the BIT
reau OF International revolutional
: propaganda with an appropriate
OF 100000 rubles spent upc
, newspapers, iliers and pamphle
T. in the language OF the German ar
= Austro-Hungarian empires.
~ 81 held no official position
Z. this bureau, but co-operated in Il
Y production OF the illustrated pap
G which explained to the Germa
ir how to make a revolution. III
5. matcly all this had its effect. Dou
ID las Young, British consul at Arc
ic angel, said bolsheviki propagan
r. had as much to do with the su
den collapse OF Germany as o
- military operations.
k Joined Soviet Army
For the time being, howey
l. it did not avail to prevent the dri
~ OF the German army upon Petr
le grad. | joined the army that "
I'd being hurriedly recruited to st
rs this advance. For my ma
l. months service received ,
re rubles-the pay OF a regular 5
dier. The whole motive OF +
I'd course in Russia was to keep
II. German imperialists from destr,
"a ing the soviet republic and strai
81 ling the Russian people.
In MAY, 1918, there sprang