Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-12-02
Amusing also Interesting

Amusing also interesting
Washington vanderiip il from
somewhere in California but even
excels the gentleman from Kokomo.
In fact IL accounts are to be depended
on rather overdoes the part. Any
how the reports are amusing also in
structive in calling the public's atten-
ton to certain things It viii be well
to think about. However. Vanderiip
is scarcely living up to his first name.
Washington, it viii be recalled.
though all in all q vigorous charac-
ter. was chary about mixing in
with foreign affairs. Not 30 Wash
ington vanderlip. A mere tribe
like annexing slice Of Asia and
making Uncle Sam gift of it doesn't
feaze Wash" He is there with the
lingo il mot the rhino: If you doubt it
here is his word for it:
When I first approached Lenin for.
the purchase outright of Kamchatka
with a Wow Va SCA0SAA06 IotCI "
the United States for annexation,
Lenin asked me how we proposed to
protect it from Japan. replied that
Petropavlovsk and Avatcha Bay were
the key to the naval situation in the
Northern Pacific and could afford pro-
lection to unprotected Alaska He
said was right and that Russia had
always had it in mind to fortify the
bay but had never done so. Then
when the Russian Government refused
me permission to buy outright and
limited my concession to sixty years,
the idea of the naval station was
dropped"
1t is inconceivable that such mat
ter as a naval station in Avatcha Bay
should escape Washington vanderlip.
He probably has it about his person
but was seeking to throw dust in the
eyes Of the British who are said to be
anxious about this ubiquitous per-
sonage from somewhere in California
He scorns such espionage and pro-
ceeds to issue this appeal to the
AMERICAN people,
France and England are demand
ing payment of the Cars debts. Rus
STA does not refuse, but is asking who
is to pay Russia for the support of an
army of 100000 men used for two
years to repel invaders who have
never declared war. These include
the United States"
He insists on Russian WEAKNESS
after seven years of war. and de-
clares:
"They are fighting against Ameri-
can machine guns, rifles, poisoned gas,
afrplanes and all that magnificent
equipment which America sold to
France"
Then ,yanderlip continues:
"They have beaten England, France
and Poland on the Polish front and
France in the Crimea. They are
driving the Japs back to the sea. In
few months the latter will have
been cleared from the Siberian Lit
toral, and this with no help from
America. / can also assure you that
the Japanese will soon be cleared off
the mainland of Asia, and this in
| cludes Korea. The Japanese are at
last caught between the upper and
neither milestones." etc. "
It would almost seem that he better
look out or he will be caught with
bolshevik propaganda on his person
He 10 making good copy" for the
newspapers and his name is featured
throughout and so he may be content.
But if he really expects to enlist en-
thusiastic support at home he is in
for busy season. Whether true or
false certain reports from Russia are
following him. They may be manu-
featured to head off his ambitious
schemes. but even so it will be neces-
sary for him to disprove them.
One Of these is the report of q
speech Lenin is said to have delivered
at Moscow in explanation of the con-
cession after vanderlip's departure
from the country. That speech is said
to include the following, which is in
teresting and may prove instructive:
Our nation, which for three years
resisted imperialism everywhere, has
become an international factor. BY
granting mining and industrial con-
cessions to America we disturb re-
lations between Japan and the United
States. We shall make the best of
this situation. BY granting such
concessions we shall gain further
material success over the capitalist
countries because, instead Of fight
ing US, they will be compelled to
watch over our security. We must
grant such concessions because one
solitary nation cannot defeat the cap
italism of the whole world
So far as watching over the secur-
ity afforded by the bolshevik govern
ment is concerned that is surely an
undertaking. however blissfully conf
dent Vanderlip may be that his con-
cession is worth the paper 1t is writ
ten on. OF course he SCOTS at the re-
port, but the world is cruel and some
are inclined to scoff at vanderlip.
| The Journal occasionally receives a
letter from Denver. Colo. signed Jos.
A. Shires. and evidently written in
| the spirit of passing a good thing