The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-11

withheld it's approval from the decision of the supreme council at Paris recog- nlzing the independence of the so-called republics of Georgia and Azerbaijan, ana so instructed it's representative in southern Russia, Rear Admiral Newton
 A. McCully. Finally. while gladly giv ' ! ing recognition to the independence of Armenia, the government of the United States has taken the position that the 1 nnal determination of it's boundaries | must not be made without Russia's CO., 1 operation and agreement. Not only Is l Russia concerned because consider able part of the territory of the new
 state of Armenia formerly belonged to ! the Russian empire; equally important I IS the fact that Armenia must have | the goodwill and the protective friend ship of Russia II it is to remain inde- pendent and free.
 | These illustrations show with what Inconsistency the government of the United States has been guided in its 1 foreign policy by loyal friendship for Russia. We are unwilling that while l It is helpless in the grip of non | representative government. whose only sanction is brutal force. Russia shall
 be weakened still further by policy | of dismemberment conceived in other than Russian interests.
 IGNORES SOVIETS
 With the desire of the allied powers \ to bring about a peaceful solution of l the existing difficulties in Europe, this government is. of course, in hearty ac- tcord and will support any justifiable steps to that end. 1t is unable to per ceive, however, that a recognition of the soviet regime would promote, much less accomplish. this object and it is therefore averse to any dealings with the soviet regime beyond the- most narrow boundaries to which a discus sion of an armistice can be confined That the present rulers of Russia do | not rule by will or the consent of any considerable proportion of the Russian people is an incontestable fact. Tha- nearly two and a helf years have passed since they seized the machinery of gov ernment, promising to protect the con- stituent assembly against alleged con- spiracies against it, they have not yet permitted anything in the nature of popular election. At the moment when the work of creating a popular repre- sentative government based upon uni versal suffrage was nearing completion the bolsheviki, although, in number. an inconsiderable minority of the people. by | force and cunning seized the powers and machinery of government and have con-, tinued to use them with savage op- pression to maintain themselves in yowers.
 Without any desire to interfere in the internal affairs of the Russian people or to suggest what kind of government they should have, the government of the United States does express the hope that they will soon find a way to set up government representing their Tree will and prpose. When that time comes the United States will consider the meas of or cf rra which be taken to promote the restoration Of Russia, provided Russia has not taken itself wholly out of the pale of the friendly interest of other nations, by the pi1lage and oppression of the Poles. NOT POSSIBLE
 'It is not possible for the government of the United States to recognize the present rulers of Russia as a government
 with which the delations common 10
 friendly governments can be maintain ed.
 This conviction has nothing to do with
 any particular political or social struc-
 ture which the Russian people them
 selves may see fit to embrace. It rests
 upon wholly different set of facss.
 These facts, which none dispute, have
 convinced the government of the United
 States against it's will that the existing negation of every principle of honor and
 good faith, and every usage and convic- |
 international law; the negation. in shcrt,
 of every principle upon which it is pos
 sible to base harmonious and trustfui
 relations whether of nations or of ln-
 dividuals. The responsible leaders of the
 regime have frequently and openly
 boasted that they are willing to sign
 agreements and undertakings with for
 eign powers while not having the slight est intention of observing such under
 takings or carrying out such agreements
 This attitude of disregard of obligations
 voluntarily entered into, they base upon
 theory that no compact or agreement
 made with a non- -bolshevist government
 can't have any moral force for them
 They have not only avowed this as
 doctrine, but have exemplified it in prac-
 tice Indeed upon numerous occasions
 the responsible spokesmen of this power,
 and it's official agencies have declared
 that 1t is their understanding that the
 very existence of bolshevism in Russia,
 the maintenance of their own rule, de-
 bends. and must continue to depend. up-
 on the occurrence of revolutions in all
 other great civilized nations including the United States which will overthrow
 and destroy their governments and set up bolshevist rule in their stead. They
 have made 1t quite plain that they in-
 tend to pse every means. including. or course, diplomatic, agencies. to promote such revoiutionary movements in other cuntries.
 UNTRUSTWoRTHY, PLUS
 ''It is true that they have in various ways expressed their willingness to give
 assurances and guarantees that they
 will not abuse, the privileges and i'm munities of diplomatic agencies by using them for this purpose. In view of their declarations already referred to. such assurances and guarantees cannot be very seriously regarded. Moreover, it is within the knowledge of the government of the United States that the bolshevist government is itself subject to the con- trol of a political faction, with extensive notifications through the third internationale, and that this body. which is heavily subsidized by the bol- shevist government from the public rev enue of Russia. has for it's openly ayowed aim the promotion of bolshevist throughout the world. The leaders of the bolsheviki have boasted l that their promises of non-interference with other nations would in no wise bind the agents of this body. There is nc room for reasonable doubt that such ag gents would receive the support and | protection of any diplomatic agencies the | solsheviki might have in other countries Inevitably therefore. the diplomatic serv. | tee of the bolshevist would become 3 | channel for intrieues and the propaganda | of revolt against the institutions ana | avs of the countries with which it was at peace and would he an abuse of | friendship to which erIfrhtened govern -,ante ~.,Nioo. .'-~.---~'s.~r
 UTTERLY RELUCTANT l