The Washington times., 1922-04-16

startled by the intelligence and
gentleness of his expression. Diplo-
macy IN an inseparable part OF
Mr.. Tchicherin's existence. He
eats, drinks, and sleeps with the
affairs of state, looks at life as a
chess game, and is continually
checkmating even in ordinary con-
versation. Lenin approves OF him
and feels for him a warm personal
affection in spite of the fact that
the premier so dislikes eccen-
tricities. He knows Tchicherin can
be trusted, that he has an invalu-
able knowledge of international
affairs, and, more important than
all that, that he will never make
any real decisions without consult
ing Lenin.
Mr.. Built told me that during
his negotiations he found Tchi-
cherin SO brilliant that II was diff
ficult TO get anywhere. The foreign
minister was always quite justified
from the Soviet angle, but the
Soviets were being forced TO make
great concessions. Invariably
when they came to a deadlock, he
telephoned Lenin, and Lenin gave
in.
During our first talk, when we
discussed the campaign OF lies
about Russia which have so long
flooded English, French, and
American papers, / said thought
IL was partly due,,to the fact that
no reporters were permitted at
that time TO go in and investigate
actual conditions.
1t was characteristic of Tchi-
cherin to interrupt very suddenly
and ask: viii you tell me why
American reporters come over here
and claim they are impartial OBJ
servers, even profess friendliness
toward us, and then go home and
write such astounding lies?"
l thought Is wasn't fair TO gen
eralize. The most unfair stories
: have always been manufactured at
Riga and Revel or at Paris by in.
terested political groups, or by
disappointed reporters who have
never been inside.
Admits Reporters Fair.
AS for the reporters who actual
ly witnessed the revolution. Ger.
tainly the majority remained fair.
in spite Of the fact that II grew
particularly difficult, especially in
America, to even maintain. ones
equilibrium about Russia after
Brest-Litovsk. To my mind came
back unhappy recollections of
Overman and Lusk investigations.
raids. deportations and general
war hysteria. Perhaps 1rre such
thought came also to Tch.cherin.
because he said, Yes, Yes; 1 sup.
pose in the main you are right. but
how do you account for man
like -7"
Tchicherin is full of old-fash-
ioned honor. The idea that foreign
papers published false repJrts 10
Justify intervention or the block
ade seemed so outrageous 10 him
that he could never realize that
this sort OF propaganda las be-
come as much a part Of yoodern
warfare as liquid fire Ut sub
marines.
Very late one night saw
Tchicherin running up the stairs
to his office in a high state Of
excitement because a New York
evening newspaper carried on its
front page an alleged Interview
with Lenin In which he discussed
everything from the Irish situa-
ton to the Russian ballet.
saw no humor in this.
His comment was. how can a
reputable American paper allow
such a thing7 After all. CJmIade
Lenin is the premier OF a e eat
country.
All men who give themselves
completely 20 an ideal quite nat
urally become supersensitive and
unreasonable. At least that is
the rule and Tchicherin Is no
exception. The deliberate mis-
Interpretation abroad, during long
hard years of every effort of the
Soviet government at peace or
reconstruction or defense or ne
gotiations, has gotten under his
skin.
Insisted On Truth.
So while he insisted on the
strictest adherence to truth in all
reports sent over the govern
ment wire, at the same time he
permitted himself a mild dissi-
patton in extravagant adjectives
by way OF retaliation, In his too
long and too complicated notes"
He allowed even more unres.
strained language In Vestnik.
Vestnik is the official bulletin OF
the Soviet government--varv much
like thas bulletin ISSUED by the
bureau OF public information dur.
ing the war. -.l
The young man who edited this