Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-08-25
Government Officials Probe
Reports Quoting English Pre-
mier as Saying Policy Of U.
S. Inconsistent.
MAY TAKE STEPS TO
REFUTE STATEMENTS
Recent Developments in Russ
Polish Struggle Tend to
Prove Stand of America Is
Correct, Leaders Declare.
EIGHT NIGHT EIGHT
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Mire

Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.
Washington, Aug. 24.-President
Wilson's attention was called today
to the report from Lucerne quoting
Premier Lloyd George OF England
as describing the present policy OF
the United States toward Russia as
inconsistent with the presidents dec
laration with regard to the Prinkipo
conference.
The president was reported to be
very much interested in the alleged
interview with the British premier,
So much SO, in fact, that the State
department is endeavoring to con-
firm the statement. If Lloyd
George said it, it is believed that the
president will take steps to make
1t clear to the world that the .Ameri-
can policy toward Russia now is
not Inconsistent with its policy at
the time of the Prnkipo conference.
State department. officials would
not discuss the published interview
with Lloyd George for several rea-
sons. One was that they were not
aware of its authenticity and a sec
one was that they did not wish to
engage i'll any controversy in the
press with the British premier.
Will Refute Utterance.
The, presidents attention was di-
rected to the interview by Secretary
Tumulty, who sent it to the White
House from the executive office
early in the day. Mr.. Tumulty
made no comment, but it was ap-
parent both at the White House and
State department that the utterance,
if authenticated, would be refutcd
The State department feels that the
attitude of this government toward
Russia has been entirely consistent.
1t was pointed out in an official
quarter that the Prinkipo conference
referred TO in the published interview
with Lloyd George and in which the
United tSates agreed to participate.
was designed to bring together the
struggling factions in Russia. 1t was
an effort to settle family quarrel.
But the recently proposed conference
at London, in which the United
States did not agree to participate,
was a proposal of an entirely differ
ent character, designed as a general
peace conference with soviet Russia.
Administration officials believe
that Developments to date in the
Russian Polish war have clearly
demonstrated that the Russian red
menace is not strong enough to
crush the potential resistance of the
European states. This makes clear.
they contend, that the American
policy of opposition to the soviet
government and i'll support OF the
integrity of Russia pending restorta-
ton of national government, is cor
rect and wise.
Defeat For Poles.
The Polish government. it IS stat
ed, entered upon an aggressive war
against soviet Russia, even though,
as is claimed by Poland, its action
was in anticipation of attack by
Moscow, for objects in the attain
ment of which the Polish people
lacked the enthusiasm of their lead
ers. AS long as slight resistance
was eli cpuntered, it is pointed out,
the Polish offensive was successful.
The Polfsh advance, however,
aroused the national consciousness
of Russia, united contending ele-
ments of the Russian turmoil in sup
port of the red army and resulted in
a crushing defeat to the Poles.
At this point. it is affirmed, the
bolshevik leaders sought to avail
themselves of the nationalist support
inspired by the Polish attack to gain
thei rown aggressive ends in con-
tradistinction to the interests of Rus
sia. With the victorious red army
they sought to invade Poland and
crush her as a nation in a first step
toward carrying out the gcnerH plan
u hostility and menace to European
governments.
1t is declared that the sequence
OF events makes it undeniably clear
that the chief desire of the peoples
OF Europe is to settle down to nor
NAL life, this being equally true OF
(( onttnued m paua Two Column Tvo1