Evening star., 1933-10-20
ALLEN USED DATA
OF ELLA WINTERS.
Ex-senator Says He Was
Trying to Tell Straight
Story About Russia,
,Hy the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, october 20.-Former
United States Senator Henry j. Allen
of Kansas returned from Europe yester-
day, answered an accusation OF plaglar-
Ism with frank admission that he had
taken some notes for series Of articles
on Russia from a book by Ella Winters,
the wife of Lincoln Steffens.
The incident is the second of its
kind, paraiieling closely the accusation
which was leveled against Theodore
Dresser by Dorothy Thompson, the wife
of Sinclair Lewis.
After giving out an interview In
which he said Russia feared a war
with Japan, and that such war would
involve France on the side OF Russia
ard Germany on the side OF japan,
Senator Allen retired to his state room
on the Italian liner Vulcania and pre-
pared the following statement:
If I had desired to crib from MISS
Winters book 1 am sure I could have
taken something more important ana
worthwhile than the comparatively few
words of routine descriptive material
under comment That any of her
matter was used is due to an unfor-
tunate confusion.
Il travelled through Russia for seven
weeks, and every day I made extensive
notes, filling a half dozen note books
with every sort of germane material.
Notes Apparently Confused.
Every night I added to this by read
ing every thing I could to check my
own observations.
Russia is full of stock stories, prop
tnl
common sources. Every book on RUS
sia naturally reflects these common
sources.
There are no guide books and four
kinterpreters add constantly to your ma
terial
"At the end of seven weeks my note
books were filled by vast miscellany OF
what I had seen, heard and read.
IT read Miss Winters chapter on the
Soviet courts. :.
Il made notes of parts that conceded
with what I had seen. When seven
weeks later I wrote the article appar-
ently I confused some of her material
with my own notes.
This was careless blundering due
pmewhat to the fact that was work
hg hurriedly, writing three articles a
ay against time.
II have travelled several thousand
niles in Russia. and l wrote 65,OOO
Words about the Soviet union.
Was Trying to Tell Story.
" was not trying to produce litera-
ture, but to tell straight story which
would describe as many phases as pos
sible at a time when 1t is OF special
interest to have an unprejudiced evalu-
alton of the Soviet experiment.
ITO interpret the situation accurately
and intelligently was my chief concern.
I hope that in measure the articles
have met that test"
Senator Allen spent eight weeks in
Russia, and said that he believed the
United States ought to recognize the
Soviet regime.
1.-The Soviet fears war with Japan"
he said, land it is doing its best to
get rid of the fear. Meanwhile, they
have about 100000 soldiers strategically
in Asia.
"A new and significant development
Is the Soviet rapprochement with
France. The French are replacing Ger
man experts and France is offering its
expert military aid in the training OF
an army and aviation corps.
I'm Russia it is thought that the
nation can get through the Winter
without the war, there is good chance
Of avoiding it."