The daily times., 1921-09-01
RELIEF IN RUSSIA
Under DIRECTION
OF NO GOVERNMENT
COOPERATIVE WORK
America Desired Assurance
That All Her Subjects I'm
prisoned in Russia Be Re.
leased Before She Gave Any
Assistance, But Now She is
Not in Charge of Work.
(By David Lawrence).
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily
TimaSl

Times).
Washington, Aug. 31-The United
States government is making it clear
to the governments of Europe that
the American Relief Administration
"alc!i n2S undertaken to help Russia
is { nongovernmenta institution and
that it would be preferable if the
whole relief project were stripped of
any governmental aspect Whatsoever.
The Supreme Council recently vot-
ed to cooperate with the United
States government on Russian relief
,, believing the American government
had been negotiating with the soviet
government. This misunderstanding
arose because Secretary Hoover is a
member of President Harding's Cab
met and is at the same time the
head of the American Relief Admins
tration. Mr.. Hoover entered the
Harding Cabinet with the UNDER
standing that he be permitted to
carry on the relief work in Europe
and Mr. Harding consented to the
arrangement.
1sut even # there were no doubt
e bout the absolute separation be-
tween the Washington government
and the American Relief idministra-
+, tion which is a consolidation of char
i liable organizations, the European
governments would probably have
proposed governmental relief There
E, are very substantial reasons why the
| United States government thinks the
relief project should be kept as far
as possible out of the realm of gov
ernment. In the first place, the
chances of breeding misunderstood
| ing in Russia by permitting an allied
expedition of agents to rove around
Russia under the pretense of study
| ing relief but with the object of get
ting data wherewith to handle the
] olitical situation are recognized here.
/ Secondly, the soviet government
has been endeavoring for some time
to enter into diplomatic relations
with other governments on one pre-
text or another so as to give the
impression inside Russia that the
soviet program is being recognized
throughout the world. Those who be-
1ieve the soviet methods must be
abandoned think the quickest way
to insure the establishment of a
good government in Russia with
which the rest of the world can deal
| is to leave the situation to the Rus
slams themselves to develop without
outside interference.
! When the relief project was first
broached to America even the Rus
SLAMS had an idea that it would mean
the resumption of relations with the
American government. The Depart
ment of State did take a hand in the
proceedings to the extent of advising
the American Relief Administration
that the Washington government
wanted all American prisoners releas-
ed before relief work should begin
and this wish was respected. Now,
however, the American government
takes no further part in the negotia-
tion or the execution of relief plans.
All the American charitable organiza-
tions interested in Russian relief
have been united under the direction
! of General Haskell.
1t is the firm intention of the
American Relief Administration to
cooperate with any allied effort but
under no circumstances will American
charities be turned over to Euro
peans for administration. Each ma
tion wanting to help Russia can do
so on it's own responsibility and will
find America ready to coordinate so
as to prevent overlapping. But the
men who have raised funds from the
American people have responsible
ity to the donors which the American
! CONTINUED in Five O'clock Edition.