The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-14
NOT PARTICIPATING

NOT PARTICIPATING
 Mr. Davis letter continued;
 'sOfficial announcement was made when the last of our troops was with, drawn from Russian territory that this government is not at presen tpartici- patng in any armed action against soviet Russia, nor is it supporting with money, men or munitions any of the. groups or parties which are in conflict with the soviets. Insnuation that this government is secretly committed to in- terventon in Russia is gratuitous. 1t has no basis whatsoever in fact, and an
 implied charge that such commitments exist is refuted by the wellknown pol
 icy of opposition to intervention main tained for. months preceding the de- cision of the supreme war council to send troops to Russia by our effort to reduce the joint intervention to the smallest scope and to hold to specifi- cally defined and limited purposes.
 'rhe recently published exchange of notes between this government and Po- land clearly expresses the policy of this government.
 This government has refused recog- hilton to the soviet government, but it's purpose has not been to oppose her people either by blockade or in any other manner, but rather to safeguard the interests of the Russian people in every way possible
 | "It is unqualifiedly false that our re- cent policy has been to refuse to permit relief to be sent to that vast portion of Russia which is under the control of l the soviet government. Since the war trade board regulations in regard to l trade with Russia were amended on
 July s, 1920 this is not true.
 ONLY RESTRICTIONS "The only restriction maintained by 1 this government on export trade with soviet Russia is the restriction on the export of munitions or comm odities
 susceptible of immediate military use There is no restriction on the export to
 Russia of medical supplies. soap and the common necessities of life. No spe- cial licenses are needed none has beer
 applied for.
 That relatively little of these com modities has been sent is due to purely commercial considerations Two differ
 ent organizations have been carryins
 on noisy agitation in this matter ant
 asserting that they have been prevented
 by this government from sending med ical supplies to Russia. They have beei iinformed that no such obstacle exist
 to such shipments, but apparently the,
 have no funds to send supplies or to pa. i for their transport"
 "The department of state has takei an intense and continual interest int . the possibility of arranging for larg
 scale relief work by strong and reputabl oreanizations The difficulties whicl have stood in the way of any accom- i plishments in this matter nave Dee raised not by this government but b. !. the soviets, who cannot find in thei theory of communism any excuse fo
 private philanthropy.
 .Representatives of the large relief or !. ganizations, with the knowledge and ap proyal of the department of state. hay visited the central soviet authorities 1 Moscow in the hope of establishing { modus vivendi for such work but wit l two exceptions have been met by re buffs. In this matter, the experience c this government has been identical wit
 that of European countries, both thos
 who were associated with us in the wa
 and the northern neptrals.
 WANT ONLY GIFTS
 ."rhe only relief work which the soviet
 will tolerate is the direct gift of sur
 plies to the soviet government to De dls
 tributed by them as their own largesst
 Quite aside from the question of whethe
 this would be politically expedient, it l
 tbe opinion of almost all of those eS nerienced in such work that it would b
 nnossible to raise funds from privat
 subscriptions on that basis.
 "The two exceptions to this have beer first the Jewish joint distribution con mittee which, contrary to the opinion ( their colleague have felt that 1t wa nossible to extend relief in soviet Rus s;a and. second, the American Friend | Service committee (Quakers). which ha been operating almost continually Russia on a small scale under Britis l management.
 "The state department has taken tf position that it could not officially CT courage the entry into soviet territor If American relief workers so long g the soviet authorities continue to hold z 1 hosta res American citizens who are ns accused of any illegal activity, but il attitude toward relief workers has bee identical with that towards private bus ness enterprises.
 8"Any American citizen who wishes enter Russia on his own responsibilit and without passport can do so witho' | any lei ar hindrance from this goverl | ment. The official obstruction to fec ! lng 1T sick Russian children by Amer . icsns has come, not from this gover . ment, but from the soviets
 DISCUSSES PASSPORT Acting Secretary Davis also discuss : the passport situation recent orde | he said, has instructed diplomatic ar | lconsular officers in countries contiguo' ! to soviet Russia to take up the Amer I Ican nassports of such Americans as wi, ! lto enter soviet Russia, to be returned . Ifhem on their leaving soviety territory,
 tha nassports addressed to governmcn ~vitb which we have diplomatic relation ! Icnnld he of no legitimate use to them
 soviet territory where they would ha