The Washington times., 1921-09-18
SHEFFIELD. Mass, Sept. IA. 1921;

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SHEFFIELD, Mass, Sept. IA, 1921.
Dear Mr.. President: take the lib
erty of addressing to you a sugges-
tion in connection with a matter
which should be of the deepest con-
Germ to the whole woTld-the Russian
catastrophe, which has no parallel in
history. 1t is quite clear that now
| is not the time to scrutinize the causes
of the catastrophe, but to give gen
erous, immediate and adequate re-
lief.
Americas response through the
American Relief Association was
noble and prompt. But the catastro-
phe is so enormous that this reiiet
alone may prove inadequate to stay
the death harvest in Russia and avert
still greater calamity next year.
Relief Measures Suggested.
therefore take the liberty Of max
ing the following suggestions:
/. That in addition to the American
Relief Workers in Russia, Il special
commission of the best American rail.
way experts be sent to Russia without
delay to help restore the crippled
transportation system, for unless that
Is done the relief cannot he dis
tributed properly. Besides, as long as
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dilapidated condition. the famine Will
become a chronic calamity. growing
| even more acute, Notwithstanding all
outside relief.
2. understand that there Is in this
country a large fund Of many millions
of dollars left over from the loan made
by our Government to Russia in 1917,
during the Kerensky regime. The
| Kerensky government did not receive
that money, and the Russian Am
bassador," who has since then repre-
sented a number Of governments tnat
have not been recognized by inc
United States, Is in charge OF the
balance of these funds.
beg to suggest that you take the
necessary measures to have this funo
diverted to the Russian people In the
hour Of their direst need. without
raising the question OF political
recognition. we cannot help recogniz'
ing the grim fact Of the famine that IL
devastating the Russian people ana
this idle fund, intended for the Rus'
sian people, can be made to save nun
Greds Of thousands OF human beings
from starvation. 1t should De sent
as a gift to the Russian people from
tbe American people, for the starving
Russian people are the same people
that even under the tyranny OF the
Czars gave to the world Tolstoy. Tur'
eeney and Dostmevsky: MetchnikoV'
payloy. Mendeleyev and Kropotkin'
Repin and Antokolsky. Tschatkowsky'
Rimsky, Korsakow, and Rubenstein'
Gratitude Assured.
The Russian people will surely
remember Americas generous re-
sponse. and when they come to them
selves they will know how to man
ifest their gratitude.
We know the causes or the
catastrophe, and we may 1nterpret
them in various ways. l descrlped
Russian activities in 1917 and 1918.
I and to me the coming OF the great
catastrophe was clear.
I have pointed out on several oc.
casions that the Russians engaged
in the social and economic expert
ments in Russia were not the only
people to blame for Russia's trag-
edy. Some of the Allied statesmen
/ and militarists. who In their short
sightedness resorted to drastic meas
ures. have left few blunders uncom-
mitted and have helped to intensity
and prolong the Russian misery.
Now Russia's plight is tragic be-
yond description. The groans OF the
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reaching us through American OBJ
servers now in Russia; the cry for
help uttered by the long-sutfering
Russian people has filled tn" civil
ized world with horror. The rich
fields along the Volga are bar2, and
hundreds Of thousands of hungry
men, women and children are wan.
dering about in despair, seeking food
in vain. Practically the whole OF
Russia Is shrouded In the black
shadows of death by starvation.
Cites Kerensky's Plea for Aid.
In 1917, when Rusias needs were
not so acute, Kerensky begged for aid.
but II was slow in coming In an
interview in July, 1917, he said to
me: Il wish the great American
democracy would, especially at this
moment, come to our assistance ener.
getically, for only in the hou of need
we can best test our friends. A deep
strong source of moral support is
insufficient just now. 1t is ncces-
sary to add material aid" II the old
Russian regime was unable to crush
the spirit and soul OF the Russian
people. It did succeed In demoralixing
the body and robbing the wealth Of
Russia.
The Kerensky government was
overthrown and replaced by the
Soviets. In April. 1918. when I visit
ed Russia under Bolsheviki rule.
Prince Peter Kropotkin, the great
Russian scientist and radical Cwho
died last year,, asked me to transmit
written message to the American
r"ople which published in lead
ing American newspapers at the time.
In that message. he wrote, among
other things, as follows:
What Is to be done now? What
can Russia's friends do for her? In
what way can they help her? Full Of
viROr and working capacities, am
mated with the best and friendliest
intentions toward the Russian nation
AS know 1t is-what can the
American nation do to help us? I:
can do very much. The help that