Evening star., 1922-04-18
BAKHMETEFF FULLY
ACCRED|!EDENv0Y
Mr.. Hughes Informs Senate
Ambassador Has Been Rec
ognized Since 1917.

BORIS Bakhmeten, the last accred-
tied ambassador from Russia to the
United States, is recognized as the
representative of Russia in the United
States. and as such enjoys the diplo-
matte immunity which attaches to all
ENJOYS of foreign governments ac-
credited to the United States, Secre-
tary Hughes declared in letter
transmitted today to the Senate.
Secretary Hughes added that he
deemed it incumbent upon him to
point out that under established dip
lomatic custom an ambassador is mot
required to respond to process" of a
cpnsressionai~committee.
semenea Hearing.
the Senate the Semenoff hearing was
in process in an adjacent committee
room.
The State Department secretary's
letter. addressed to Vice President
Coolidge and. after reading in the
Senate, referred to the Senate labor
committee, which subpoenaed the
ambassador to appear at it's Semenoff
hearings. declared that Mr.. Bakh
,meteff was Officially received" as
Russian ambassador by the President
July 5, 1917, and "since that time this
that capacity and has recognized no
other ambassador"
The letter, after stating that a
representative of Mr.. Bakhmeteff had
called at the State Department to
direct the departments attention to
the .subpoenoing the ambassador, and
quoting the subpoena said:
Text of Mr.. Hughes Letter.
''Mr. Bakhmeteff presented his let
United States and was officially re-
ceived by the President as the am
bassador extraordinary and plenipo-
tentiary of Russia on July S, 1917. and
since that time this government has
recognized him in that capacity and
has recognized no other Russian am
bassador.
'.Since Mr.. Bakhmeteff, in accord
ance with the general diplomatic
practice In such cases. has brought
the telegram to my attention, l deem
it to be incumbent upon me to point
out that an ambassador is not re-
quired to respond to process. The
provisions of sections 4062 to 4064 of
the Revised Statutes of the United
States are declaratory of the law of
the nations with respect to the i'm
munity of diplomatic officers"
Justice to Semenon.
Ralph L. Baggs of New York, a
former American Army lieutenant
with the forces in Siberia, was before
the Senate labor committee yesterday.
His testimony, which was said not to re-
committee by Maj. Gen. Graves, the
Siberian expedition commander, or Lieut..
Col. Charles H. Morrow, his chief aide,
was said to be intended to do Justice"
10 the Russian officer, Gen. Semfnoff,
in so far as the witness saw events
there. He declared that at times the
policy appeared to be IAN eye for an
eye" but denied general massacres
mad taken place in the area where
he was stationed. Mr.. Baggs cred
tied Semenoff with having checked
pogroms; and said that. conditions
where the bolsheviks held sway.
IN some instances, he added, the
activities of the bolsheviki were
such that retaliation was almost
Justlneo BY way of reply to testi-
mony previously given the commit
tee. he declared that early in 1919
there was change of sentiment
among the Semenoff forces toward
the Americans, who, he said. were
looked upon as giving moral en-
couragement to the reds by not en-
gaging against them actively"
Asked by Chairman Borah for a
further statement as to the change
he had noted in the Russian senti-
ment, MIR. Baggs said that he believed
1t was because "our purpose there
never was stated"
Purpose Uhkn0wn to All.
Il could not tell them." he con-
tinued. 'for was not advised. There
never was a statement from my
superiors as to what our mission
was. and I do not believe they ever
had an expression from their chiefs,
either. ALL ever could tell them
was that. the Americans were there
to give economic aid, but when we
made no declaration OF purpose the
anti-bolshevik groups became sus-
picious."
"And when you got back" Mr..
Borah interjected, did you learn why
You had been there? We here did not
know"
J. The answer of the witness. NO.
was drowned in laughter.