Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-08-11
State Department Proposes
To Confine Both Russia
And Poland to Own Ma
tional Borders.
REFUSES TO TAKE PART IN
ARMISTICE NEGOTIATIONS.
Have Confidence That Russia
Will Overcome All Existing
Anarchy - Feels. Interests
Must Be Protected.
BY tho Associated Press.

BY tho Associated Press.
Washington, Aug. l0.--The Amer>
ican governments position on tho
Russian-Polish situation was out.
lined in the following note to the
Italian government, addressed to
Baron Camille Romano Avezzanan,
Italian ambassador to the United
States:
august 10, l920-Excellency: The
intimation you have conveyed to the
State department that the Italian
government would welcome a state.
ment of the views of this govern
ment on the situation presented by
the Russian advance into Poland,
deserves prompt response, and !
will attempt, without delay. defini-
ton of this governments position,
not only as to the situation arising
from Russian military pressure upon
Poland, but also as to certain cog
nate and inseperable phases of the
Russian question viewed more
broadly. y
"This government believes in
united, free and autonomous Polish
state and the people Of the United
States are earnestly solicitous for
the maintenance of Poland's political
independence and territorial integ-
rity. From this attitude, we will not
depart and the policy Of this gov
ernment will be directed to the EN-
ployment of all available means to
render it effectual The government,
therefore, takes no exception to the
effort apparently being made in some
quarters to arrange an armistice he
tween Poland and Russia. but il
would not, at least for the present,
participate in any plan for the ex-
pansion of the armistice negotiations
into the general European confer
e1ce which would in all probability
involve two results, from both Of
which this country strongly recoils.
viz: The recognition of the boil
shevik regime and a settlement OF
Russian problems almost inevitably
upon the basis of disarmament of
Russia. \
Follow Developments.
From the beginning Of the Rus
sian revolution, in March, 1917, to
the present time, the government and
the people of the United States have
followed its development with
friendly solieitude and with pro-
found sympathy for the efforts of
the Russian people to reconstruct
their national life upon the broad
basis of popular selfgovernment
The government of the United
States, reflecting the spirit Of its
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 latter's interests have
been conceived and governed.
"The government of the United
States was the first government to
acknowledge the validity OF the rev.
olution and to give recognition
to the provisional government Of
Russia. Almost Immediately there.
after it became necessary for the
Caited States to enter the war
against Germany and in that. .mder-
taking to become closely associated
with the allied nations, including, of
course, Russia. The war-weariness
of the masses Of the Russian people
was fully"known to this government
aad sympathetically comprehended.
Prudence, self-interest and loyalty
to our associates made it desirable
tha. we should give moral and ma
terial support to the provisional
government, which was struggling
to accomplish a two-fold task. to
carry on the war with vigor and at
the same time, to reorganize the life
of the nation and establish stable
government, based on the popular
sovereignty.
Friendship to Russia.
quite Independent Of the mo-
tives, however, was the sincere
friendship of the government and
the people of the United States for
the great Russian nation. The
friendship manifested by Russia to-
wards this nation in time of trial
and distress has left US with an i'm
perishable sense of gratitude. 1t
was as a grateful friend that we
sent to Russia an expert commits
sion to aid in bringing about such
reorganization Of the railroad
transportation system as would re-
invigorate the whole of its economic
life, and so add to the wcllbeing of
the Russian people. =.
while deeply regretting with
drawal of Russia from the war at
4 critical time. and the disastrous
surrender at Brest-Litovsk, the
United States has fully understood
that the people OF Russia were lin no
wise responsible.
"The United States maintains un-
impaired its faith in the Russian
people, in their high character and
their future. That they will over
come existing anarchy. suffering
and destitution we do not entertain,
the slightest doubt. The distress
ing character of Eussia's transition
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