Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-08-11
HOOvER'S OFFER
ACCEPTED BY REDS
Russia Agrees to Free AmerI-
cans Held Prisoners for
Famine Aid.
ASKS SPEEDY NEGOTIATIONS
Finds All Proposals Aeeeptahle--Nots
Thought Also to Answer Hughes.
5olshsvIsts Sarcastic at "Hu-
name Pressure" Of u. s.

Riga.-Herbert Hooyer's offer to aid
Russia fight the famine on condition
all Americans now held prisoners by
the SOviets be released has been &C
cepted by the government which sug,
gests immediate negotiations, accord.
Ing to a dispatch from the Rosta News
Agency, Of Moscow, received here.
Although without word. as to when
and by what route the released Ameri-
cans will be sent across the border,
the American Red Cross and the Amer
lean mission In Riga began making
plans Immediately to receive them.
The text OF the reply, made In the
name Of Leo Kamenoff, head Of the
Nor-Partisans' Non Political Famine
Relief Ca@mittee. is as follows:
The Russian government upon
learning OF the proposals made by her
bert Hoover In the name OF the Ameri-
can Relief Association, finds them
quite acceptable. including the question
OF the release Of American citizens. II
considers IL necessary to fx-as s0on
as possible the exact conditions on
which the immediate relations are 90
begin.
Its humane Intentions guarantee the
feeding, medical aid and clothing Of
100000 children and invalfds. For
this purpose the Russian government
considers II useful that Director Brown
or any other person authorized for the
negotiations should Immediately come
to Moscow, Riga or Reval. The Rus.
sian Soviet government expects q
quick reply, stating the place and time
for the negotiations"
II. Kameneff's reply was sent e.
Maxim Gorky to the Soviet mission in
London for delivery there through the
American relief organizg.ion, accord
ing to the local BolsheviK legations.
The acceptance by Russia OF the de-
mand for the release OF the American
prisoners did not come as a surprise
to local Soviet authorities, notwith-
standing the outspoken criticisms Of
the United States for raising the prls-
oner question In n time OF famine. So
Wet officials are understood TO believe
their acceptance will not only bring
the needed famine relief but also open
channels OF future relations between
Russia and America.
American government representa-
tives In Riga consider the note as con-
stituting also an answer to the de-
mand made by Secretary OF State
Hughes for the release OF the American
prisoners in Russia.
The American relief organization In
the Baltic says II Is In no position tC
extend aid on n large scale To Russia
ut present, having only sufficient sup
plies on hand for its relief work II
the Baltic area, II was explained u
connection with the news OF the Rus
sian acceptance. Hence 1t Is expected
the supplies must be rushed from thu
United States.
On the basis of press reports tina
the reply was being sent by way O
London. sofiicials here say It might b.
expected ut any time. State Depart
ment officials think, on the other hand
no formal answer will be made to tn
American governments demand fO
the release Of Its citizens held by thu
Soviet, but II they were freed undel
the conditions OF Secretary HOover'i
offer the Russian authorities would
let the action stand as speaking fOl
Itself. Release OF Mrs. Harrison I'm
announced was said to indicate thu
possible adoption OF such a course.
In the absence ~ an official answs
| to the Relief Administrations offer
Secretary Hoover withheld continent
He Indicated, however, relief worl
could begin within fOrty-eight hour
| from the time American prisoners wer
out OF Russia and representatives, o
the administration would be sent q
once to Riga TO negotiate the detail
| of food distribution.
The newspaper Novy Put, ofiicia
BOlsheyIk organ here, asserts the ques
ton Of releasing imprisoned Ameri
cans was in no way connected wit
the famine In Russia