The Washington times., 1920-09-04
CONFLICT OVER
RUSSCH|LDREN
Red Cross and Soviet Bureau
Disagree on 780 Youthful
Refugees.

NEW YORK, Sept. 4.-The unutter-
able yesrninG OF parents for their
children whom they have not seen Tor
two and a half years. the equally pa
thetlc longing OF those children for
their fathers and mothers. patriotism.
pride. and national hatred against
the foes OF the motherland-these are
the emotions which form the heart
touching background to the con
troversy raging today over the rate
OF 7SO Russian children, ranging In
age from four to twenty housed In
the barracks OF Fort wadsworth.
Staten Island.
Into this controversy have been In
jected charges and counter-charges
by two agencies, both OF which claim
TO have the children's best interest
at heart, though their plans conflict.
On one side 10 the soviet bureau In
New York. which wants to charter
a ship and send the youngsters d.
rectly TO Revsl. a neutral Baltic port
and thence by rail to their homes, In
Petrograd and vicinity.
Opposing this plan is the Russian
division OF the American Red Cross.
II has had charge Of the children
since the spring of 1918. when they
were marooned in the Ural mountains.
In Siberia. The Red Cross. fearing
for the children's safety under pres
ent conditic<s in Russia. especially
In view of the approaching winter.
wants to send them to France, there
to await developments.
"sTUPIDITY OF KINDNESS"
Pathetic stupidity - stupidity OF
kindness" was the term with which
the soviet bureau labeled this Rcd
Cross plan.
"Bolshevist propaganda" was the
counter-cry at Red Cross headquar-
ters.
The propaganda" charge referred
particularly to the ultimatum pre-
sented by 400 OF the youthful refu-
gees to the Red Cross. expiring al
noon today, demanding that they be
sent direct to Russia or be permitted
to stay here.
1--WE cannot go to a country which
Is responsible for the fact that tens
and hundreds Of thousands OF Russias
population have died and are dyfng
by reason Of the blockade" read the
ultimatum.
Backed, 1t claims, by the entire Rus
sian colony Of New York and hun
dreds Of thousands of other sympa-
thizers throughout America, the So
Wet bureau has suggested that the
Red Cross charter a ship to proceed
to Reval.
"The Red Cross need have no fear
for the safety Of the children once
they reach Russia" said statement
issued by the bureau. THE Soviei
government, all propaganda about in
humanity notwithstanding, is known
to take the best of care of children
women and children are its upper
most concern.
"Reval is a neutral port. There IL
no danger Of international compiled,
tions. Why send these unfortunate
young refugees, after their two and q
half years Involuntary wanderings, to
France, the country in which they see
a deadly enemy to their motherland
These children are sick of foreign
charity, they are tired of rowing over
the world, they are homesick, and
their parents are pining their hearts
out for them"
fcer between the refugee party and
Washington headquarters of the Red
Cross. made light of the children's
| protests and ultimatum, and other
Red Cross officials were quick to al
lude to "red propaganda" when the
Soviet bureaus side was pointed out
to them.
"Of course, the children are home
sick; that's only natural said Miss
Helen Denman, of the Rsusian divi-
sion. "But there is nothing threat
ening' in their attitude. The Red
Cross. which has cared for them since
the spring of 1918, may be relied upon
to devise the best means to get them
home"
1--WE do not charge malice or any
uIterior motive" said DR.. Norman
Thomas, welfare worker, who has in
terested himself in the youthful refu-
gees plight and is pushing the direct
home" plan. I'VE have no doubt that
the Red Cross people think they are
doing Gods service, but 1t Is not only
stupid but criminal to keep them
from their homes, when 1t Is so easy
to get them there, and ii Is doub1y
stunid and criminal to send them to
a country which they have learned to
hate because of it's activities against