Evening star., 1922-04-19
The Arrest of Gen. Semenoff.

Although certain newspaper editors
are inclined to doubt the propriety
of the federal government allowing
the arrest of Gen. Semenoff, the for
mcr anti -bolshevist Russian leader,
on claim made in behalf of a bank
rupt corporation. the majority of the
comment justifies the action because
III the opinion of the Cossack enter
tanned by Gen. Graves and other
American officers. He never should
have been permitted to enter the
York Globe. which insists that al
though in this country ostenSibly for
business and personal reasons, Semen
off is the head of a movement against
the present regime IN Siberia ana is
understood to be on his way to con-
suit with the Russian national COM
mittee in Paris. His presence in this
country for even few weeks is in
sad contrast to the treatment We give
law-abiding men who attempt to
come here to earn an honest living.
His admission that he has received
money and supplies from Great brit
ain, France and Japan brings the
suggestion from the New York Call
that 1.-The three governments mem
toned were double-crosslng the
American forces when they were in
Siberia. Our hope is that the Amer
lean firm will get every cent it is
suing for and that Semenoff will have
to leave the country with a tomato
can and ham sandwich tor lis equip
ment in "a cattle boat and cumming
with his kind on the journey.
The possibility exists. however. in
, the opinion of the Sioux City Uowa)
Journal that the American courts are
MT, hNv hn of
persecute the Russian leader. 1t sug-
gests that his looting was small COM
pared with that of the soviets them
selves. and adds that eff justice were
done in all the cases that Russian
misery has developed there is little
present soviet government would suf-
fer the loss of their lives or liberty
And the Baltimore Sun wonders
whether if "Semenoff had not been
unlucky would anybody be calling
him a bandit and thief? Lenln and
Trotsky have appropriated the Whole
of Russia and are hailed by bolshev-
list millions as the political saviors
of the world Semenoff takes lot Of
paltry blankets and furs to keep
warm with in the cold climate of
Siberia, and he must answer for 1t IN
a New York court" The New YORK
World, likewise, would have his posi-
ton made clear. inasmuch as his role
in the recent history of Siberia has
been very considerable. II we knew
all about Semenoff we should know
more about the problem OF Siberia
and why the Washington conference
found it so Intangible. 1t is to be
hoped, therefore. that some way will
be found in court of having Gen:
Graves, Mr.. Smith and Semenon tell
what they know"
In the sense that he was not acting
under any recognized dasase governmens handff
but neither did Kolchak, Denekin,
Wrangel or Yudenitch. it points out,
and recalls that I'VE have not recog-
nized any faction in Russia as con-
stituting even de facto government
since the republic headed by Lvon
an interesting political end con-
nected with the Semenoff arrest, and
! it may throw light on many matters
which are now obscure" The Amer
ican people also must judge Sem
enoff in the light OF the conaitlons on.
in the opinion of the Cleveland Plain
Dealer. which is ''inclined to believe
that Grerori the Cossack had to be
rather rough and bloody to get along
in Siberia. But in America this son
Of the steppes is urDane and genteei
denrecatory though not apologetic
He thinks 1t rather shame that he
had to be arrested, and good many
americans, remembering what he did
to the bolsheviki. will be inclined to
| agree with him."
Beeinning with 1917. his military op.
orations could be compared, the Spring
feld (Mass.) Republican points out
! with the raids such as Gen. villa, be.
fore he reformed, might have made on
Texas After the Kolchak campaign he
operated in the rear along the railway
Lines, and his depredations were often a