New-York tribune., 1921-01-14
Davis Explains
U. S. Policy on
Soviet Russia
Acting Secretary Denies
Reported Plan to Restore.
boundaries of Empire;
Interest Only in People
Opposed to Intervention
Does Not Encourage Relief
Workers Because Reds
Hold American Hostages

Details Of the United States policy
toward Soviet Russia, given by Acting
Secretary Of State Davis in letter to
Alton B. Parker, president of the Ma
tlonal Civic federation, were made
public here yesterday.
Writing under date of January s
last from Washington, Mr.. Davis dis
cussed at length questions widely pub
lished prior to the last election and
addressed to the Presidential candi-
dates. These questions were sub
mitted to the Secretary of State by
Mr. Parker on November 26 in letter
asking for light on the departments
attitude.
The United States government has
no intention "officially TO restore" tho
former boundaries of the Russian Em-
pire, nor to impose on any non-Russian
territories the rule of the great Rus
slas, Mr.. Davis explained, characterize
ing as false statement chat this gov
ernment proposed officially to restore
Russian territorial integrity and rule
over Llthuania, Latvia and Esthonia
Grave Dangers of Aggression
Russia to-day is in a condition 10
Distress" Mr.. Davis's letter said. "and
there is grave danger on all of har
frontiers OF aggression, either directly
by foreign states or indirectly throueh
the control of these border states. In
several of these struggling border ter
torres there is difference of opinion
as TO which group has right to speak
Tor the nationality involved.
IT IS the conviction of this govern
ment that these thorny questions can
no0 now be solved in an eX-parte man
ner. The Russian people certainly are
interested in-such decisions. and con-
slstent with it's previous action th.
department of State, in note of An
gust III, again served notice that il
could not be considered as indorsing
territorial settlements affecting the
welfare of the Russian people unless
government generally recognized as
representing them were party to the
adjustment.
"lnsinuation that this government is
secretly committed to intervention in
Kussla is gratutous. 1t has no basis
whatsoever IN fact, and an implied
charge that such commitments exist is
refuted by the we'll known policy of op-
position to Intervention maintained for
months preceding the decision 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 specifically de-
fined and limited purposes.
The recently published exchange of
notes between this government and
Poland clearly expresses the policy CT
this government
- Aim to Safeguard Russian People
"This government has refused recoc-
milton to the Soviet government, but
its 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.
ut is unqualitiedly false that our
recent policy has been to refuse to
permit relief to be sent to that vast
portion of Russia which is under the
control of the Soviet government. Since
the War Trade Board regulations in
regard to trade with Russia were
amended, on July 8, 1920, this is not
true.
The only restriction maintained by
TINS government on export trade with
Soviet Russia is the restriction on the
export of munitions or comm odjties