The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-03-07
RUSSIA, LOST BY
ALLIES NEGLECT
Trotsky Asked knti-Hun ALL
2GC3, Says Robins.
PROPAGANDA A Ff|lCRE
Former Red Cross Man Tells Senator's
Bo!shevik Leocers Were Ready to
Defy Germans in 1913.

Washington, March 1.-THE Rus
sian Bo!shevik government agreed IN
February. 1918, to denource lii2 Brest-
l itoysk treaty and resume the war
against Germany if the United = ates
aud Great Britain would assure CO.
operation. Raymond Eob'ns former
head of the American Red Cross ms
sion in Russia. testified before the
seaate committee Investigating law
less propaganda.
E1r Robins said that despite MS
efforts and those of r. A. T. Lock
hart. British high commissioner. 10
induce their government to agree 10
this proposal, no word was received
by March II, when Lenine sad ne
WIS convinced no help could be ex-
pected and induced the all RUSSIAN
soviet to ratify the treaty with Ger
many.
He said among other things that
before Russia failed as an ally, allied
and American propagandlsts unwlt-
tingly contributed largely to the
downfall of Russian morale and what
followed.
"Posters were all over Russia, said
Mr.. Robins. telling how great the
allies were and how powerful A1nerl-
ca was. Some of the posters sald
fine United States would have 20,OOO
airplanes and 1000. OGO men in France.
The Russians reading these declara-
tions, said to themselves, well. If all
that is true, we will go home for a
while There is no doubt that this
propaganda materially assisted in the
disintegration of the Russian morale,
and that it had exactly the opposite
effect from what it was intended to
do"
Mr. Robins described at the outset
Of the testimony conditions as ne
found them when he went to Russia.
Even during the early part of the
Kerensky regime. he said. he became
conscious Of the fact that it was fail
Ing because it did not pay enoG:h at
tention to affairs in the outlaylng dis
tricts of Russia. kerensky's civil
power, he asserted, was inefficient ana
the soviet control grew up naturally.
He disclosed the economic paralysis
In Russia. saying that it began with
the overthrow of the car and increaS-
ed down through the KerenSky regime.
He gave as reason the fact that be-
fore the war Germans were the eco
nomic directors of Russia, and that
when. they disappeared there was no
one competent to take their places.
Mr.. Robins said that he was anti
Socialist when he went to Russia. and
that his experiences there bad not
changed his ideas in regard to So
cialism
Colonel William D. Thompson. head
or the American Red Cross mission in
Petrograd, who had been charged with
spending money. in aid of the Rolshe-
v;s's. Mr.. Robins said, never spent
a dollar for that purpose Instead,
he declared S1.OO0,0O0 used by Amer
leans in an effort to convince the Rus
slams that German victory meant de-
feat of the Russian revolution, was
furnished from Colonel Thompson's
private fortune.
Mr.. Robins described himself as the
unofficial medium through which the
ambassador communicated with the
Bolshevist soviet government. On one
occasion he declared the ambassador
gave him specific and written instruc-
tions to communicate to the soviet gov
eminent information in regard TO what
the United States would do should
the -Litovsk conference, which
Uas to take place in a few days, fail.