The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-10
FREES ONLY
half DOZEN
AMERICANS
Act of Soviet May Halt
Famine Aid by u. S.
To Take Firm Stand.

Riga, Letvia, Aug. 10.-(By the
Associated Press. .)-Soviet Russia
has released six, of the American
prisoners, who have arrived at Mar
va, Esthonia, but the fact that only
this half dozen of Americans were
sent out of the country, was said
here today, to threaten a long de-
lay in, and perhaps the abandon
ment of the negotiations for Amer
lean famine reIlef in Russia.
Walter l. Brown, European di-
rector of the American relief ad-
ministration, Herbert Hoover's or
ganiZation, through which it has
been planned chiefly to admins
ter the proposed famine relief, ar
rived in Riga while the six Amer
leans set free and sent out of Rus
sia through Esthonia were on the
way to heval.
Maxim Litvinoff, the Soviety en-
Voy for the proposed negotiations,
reached here about the same time.
Director Brown, it is understood,
will insist that every bona-tide
American in Russia, whether in or
out of prison, must be given an op-
portunity to leave Russia before
the negotiations can begin.
1t was thought this morning that
a conference today between MIR.
Brown and NJ. Lityinon was un-
likely.
Preliminary negotiations between
Director Brown and M. Litvinon
were opened this afternoon, not
withstanding the earlier indications
that the two men would not meet,
the American representative asking
NJ. Litvinoff what the soviet gov
ernment'S intentions were regard
ing the freeing of the other Amer
leans in Russia. The conferees
were introduced by the Letyian
premier.
Mr.. Brown is acting unofncially,
but in touch with the state depart
ment, whose representative, Cap
tain Evan E. Young, has handed
him a list of more tnan 100 Amer
leans still in Russia.
On the Russian side, the nego-
tiatioRs are ready to be inaugu-
rated.
Six Released.
Six American prisoners in Rus
Wet authorities and have arrived
at Narva, Esthonia, in fair condi-
ton. The six were Emmett Kill
patrick, Weston B. Estes, William
Flick, X-B. Kalmatiano, H. ]. La
marc and Russell Pattinger.
OF the released men Captain En-
NETT Fitzpatrick of Uniontown, Ala,
was captured while on duty with
General Wrangel's forces in South
Russia.
William Flick and DR.. Weston B.
Estes of New York are moving pic
ture photographers who went into
Russia and were captured last
year.
Xenophon Blumenthol KalmatiaRo
of Racine, Wis, has been in Rus
sian prisons for nearly three years.
Henry J. Lamarc is a New York
man and Russell Pattinger's home
is San Francisco.
Must Free All.
Washington, Aug. 10.-Plans for
American Relief administration in
soviet Russia, were discussed with
President Harding today by Sec
retary Hoover. Later the secre-
LdFy Sdiu IelleI WOIh WOuIu OO6H
when American prisoners confined
in Petrograd and Moscow were out
OF Russia, ana when other prisoners
confined in the interior had been
released.
Transportation facilities were
available, Secretary Hoover said, to
enable Americans to get out Of
Russia quickly from Petrograd and
Moscow, but that those detained
in the less accessible region might
take as long as month to cross
the borders.
Administration of the work in
Russia, he said, would be entirely
in personnel.