Evening star., 1921-08-12
RUSSIA, ACCEPTING
AID, BARSPOL|T|CS
Litvinoff Says Concessions
Are Made to Get Food to
Starving Children.
BY the Associated Press.

RIGA, August 1.-THE Russian
soviet government will combat any
attempt to inject political questions
is sufficiently practical to see that if
the holding of Americans in prison is
an obstacle to the feeding of a million
Russian children it is best that Her
bert Hoover's stipulation in this re-
spect be granted. declared Maxim Lit
vinoff. the soviet special envoy, here
tonight.
N. Litvinoff made this explanation
of the Russian negotiations with the
American relief administration in
talking with the American newspaper
correspondents He reviewed the
famine situation to them and ex
planned the situation from the Rus
sian viewpoint.
Every Facility to Leave.
In addition to those held in prison
in Russia. declared the soviet envoy.
every facility to leave would be given
by the soviet government to any
Americans in the country. even to the
extent of advertising for them in the
newspapers. Obviously the govern
ment could not undertake to locate
them all. however, he added, as even
the list the American government had
prepared was probably Inaccurate
and in many cases the names bore
no addresses.
NJ Litvinoff stated that British,
French and other subjects whose re-
patriation had been arranged long
ago were still appearing now and
then, asking for passports to leave
Russia. He added that il the United
States insisted on the delivery of all
the Americans on the list handed
him, the Russian famine probably
would be over before the last man
could leave.
"Mr. Hoover has stipulated that all
Americans imprisoned in Russia
resentative continued. They have
been kept in prison for certain rea-
sons and some of them have been ac-
cused of grave offenses against the
government. One Kalmatiano even
had been condemned to death"
The newspaper Novy Put. the Off
cial soviet organ at Riga. has said
that Kalmatiano Zone of the prison.
ers who came out of Russia this
week) had been condemned in con-
tary mutiny against the soviet gov
ernment in 1918.
Attitude Toward Conditions.
STILL" said NJ. Litvinoff. the soviet
government was sufficiently practical
to see that if this was an obstacle to
feeding 100000 children then the
conditions should be fulfilled. 1 real
ize that this condition is of some i'm
portance to America, but certainly If
it were only a question of Russian in
ternal affairs our attitude would be
quite different"
M. Litvinoff said the enemies of
soviet Russia, who still are many
were badly mistaken If they thought
they could weaken its power by mix
added that his mission to Riga was
not political, but humanitarian. and
that Russia, which needs aid. would
gladly accept humanitarian conditions
from the outside.
But" he added. there must be CO.
operation with the Russian govern
ment, on whom the chief task rests.
otherwise there will be chaos"
He characterized as false recent re-
ports that millions of Russians were
migrating. He said it was question
of tens of thousands rather than mil
lions and that this migration was be-
ing directed by the government.
He estimated the population of the
ten famine provinces at 13.327,OOO in
villages and 100000 in cities. He
estimated the minimum necessity for
life at 10 poods 1850 pounds) of grain
per year per head, but added that be-
cause of crop failures there was short
age of nearly 60.O00.0oo pools (2,l6o,-
OOO, 900 pounds), in addition to seeding
requirements. Seeding to prevent
failure next year is most important.
he said. adding that the soviet gov
ernment was trying to obtain seed
grain from abroad. although it might
arrive too late.
ITO relieve the sufferers" he con-
tinued, I'VE are doing much better
than the cars government did in
similar famines.
mr1Is OF RnSSIA,S NEEDS