The Washington times., 1920-08-11

Excellency: ...
The agreeable intimAtiop. which
you have conveyed TO the state De-
partment that the Italian Govern
ment would welcome a statement
OF the views OF this Government on
the situation presented by the Rus
sian advance into Poland, deserves
a prompt response. and l will at
tempt without delay . dehnttion OF
this Governments position not only
as to the situation arising from
Russian military pressure upon Po-
land. but also as to certain cog
nate azd insepsrabie phases OF the
Russian question Viewed more
broadly.
This Government believes in a
united, free and autonomous Polish
state. and the people OF the
United States are earnestly solicit
tous for the maintenance OF Po-
lands political independence and
territorial integrity. From this
attitude we will not depart. and the
policy OF this Government will be
directed to the employment OF all
available means to render II ehect-
usl The Government, therefore
takes no exception to the effort ap-
parentiy being made in some quar-
ters to arrange an armistice be-
tween Poland and Russia. but IL
would not, at least for the present.
part icipate in any plan for the ex-
pansion OF the armistice negotia-
tions into a general European con-
ference, which would, In all prob
ability, involve two results, from
both Of which this country strongly
recoils, viz, the recognition OF the
Bolshevist regime and settlement
OF Russian problems almost in
evitabIy upon the basis OF dismem-
berment OF Russia.
POINTS TO OLD FRIENDSHIP.
From the beginning Of the Rus
sian revolution in March, 1917, 10
the present moment, the Govern
ment and the people Of the United
States have followed it's develop
ment with friendly solicitude and
with profound sympathy for the
efforts of the Russian people to re-
construct their national life upon
the broad basis Of popular self
government. The Government or
the United States, rejecting the
spirit OF it's people, has at all times
desired to help the Russian people.
In that spirit all its relations with
Russia. and with other nations In
matters affecting the lattsrs IN
terests, have been conceived and
governed.
The Government OF the United
states was the first government to
acknowledge the validity OF the
revolution and to give recognition
to the provisional government OF
Russia. Almost Immediately there
after it became necessary for the
United States to enter the war
against Germany, and in that un =
dertaking to become closely asso-
ciated with the allied nations. in
cluding of course, Russia. The
war WEAKNESS of the masses OF the
Russian people was fully known to
this Government and sympatheti-
cally comprehended. Prudence,
self-interest and loyalty to our as
sociates made IT desirable that we
should give moral and material sup
port to the provisional government,
which was struggling to accom-
plish a twofold task-to carry on
the war with vigor and at the same
time to recognize the life OF the
nation and establish a stable gov
ernment based on popular sover-
eighty.
quite independent of these mo-
friendship of the Government and
the people of the United States for
the great Russian nation. The
friendship manifested by Russia
toward this nation in time OF trial
and distress has left with us an i'm
perishable sense of gratitude. 1t
was as a grateful friend that we
sent to Russia an expert commission
to aid in bringing about such re-
organization OF the railroad trans
portation system Of the country as
would reinvigorate the whole OF its
economic life and so add to the
well-being of the Russian people.
FAITH IN RUSSIAN PEOPLE.
While deeply regretting the with
drawal OF Russia from the war at
a critical time, and the disastrous
surrender at Brest-Litovsk, the
United States has fully Understood
that the people Of Russia were in
no wise responsible.
The United States maintains un-
impaired its faith in the Russian
people. their high character and
their future. That they will over
come the existing anarchy, suffer-
ing and dcstitution we do not en-
tertain the slightest doubt. The
01SITeSSln. VI
transition has many historical par
allels, and the United States Is
confident that restored, free and
united Russia will again take
leading place in the world. joining
with the other free nations in up
holding peace and orderly justice.
Until that time shall arrive the
United States feels that friendship
and honor require that Russia's
interests must be generously pro
tected, and that, as far as possible,
all decisions OF vital Importance to
1t, and especially those concerning
it's sovereignty over the territory
of the former Russian empire, be
held in allegiance. But this feeling
OF friendship and honorable obli-
cation to the great nation whose
brave and heroic self-secrifice con-
tributed so much to the successful
termination of the war the Gov
ernment of the United States was
guided in its reply to the Lithuan-
ian national council, on October Is,
1919. and in it's persistent refusal
to recognize the Baltic states as
separate nations Independent of
Russia. The same spirit was mani
tested in the note OF this Govern
ment OF March -, 1920. In which
IL was stated. with reference to
certain proposed settlements in the
ss,.& f,na