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S DEFAULTS TO RUSSIA IS ROOTS ROOT'S CLAIM Ante Americas America's il ea s Dlan Many l Y Pledges Arc lUC Proving But Empty Words fords He Ee Says New York Tork Jan 17 Tile The The Ameri American n arc aro In default to Russia In the opinion of oC Ellhu Elihu Root Hoot ch chairman of oC the mission Bent sent to that country by Provident Frost Provi I dent Wilson Nilson Assur Assurances of or friendship I havo have been empty except for the language language lan lan- guage used In making promises ho be con con- views of or tho former secretary secretary secre secre- tends 9 Tho The perplexing Russian Russian Rus Rus- tar tary of or state on tho the sian question wore voiced in an address ad address nd- nd dress at a private dinner of ot tho the Americ Amer Amor- ic Russian ican-Russian n n chamber of or commerce Inthis in inthis inthis this city December 29 9 at which no re reporters reporters ro- ro porters were present At the tho request of ot members of oC tho the organization Mr Root consented to having his remarks mado public After denouncing the tho horrid group of or throats cut-throats and assassins now in control in Russia Mr Root declared they could be bo fought most effectively by supplying the tho self sacrificing men who are arc now trying to save their country with munitions of or war ar nr shoes and clothing and money to pay their troops There are three or four things thinG's I would like Uke to sa say sap Mr r. r Root said Ono One Is that we are In default as to Russia tho the American people Is in default deault We have given Ilven assurances of friendship We Wo have havo mado made promises wo vo havo have used the strongest words In tho the English language I 1 dont don't know whether there thero are aro any stronger words in Russian But Dut If It there arc and wo we had known them we wo probably would have havo used them because beuS be- be cause causo uS wo we 0 havo have Indicated that there thore was no limit to the friendship which wo we were ready to show towards Russia Rus Rus- sia sIn and wo we have havo shown no friendship toward Russia e except copt In words Promises Many opportunities have havo come and havo have been allowed to pass Many sit sit- situations havo have arisen In Russia where I if tho the American people had bad made mado good tenth one-tenth of ot what the they declared the they wore ready to do the tho skies would be bo bright In Russia today They have havo been allowed to pass without action Wo We W havo bave never nover be been Il ready when the occasion has hM come and wo we have done nothing Thero There are aro many things thinS's we might havo have done I am nm not going to criticise I am going to assume that our government had good g reasons for not acting upon all the favoring occasions occasions occa occa- which seemed to challenge o action in behalf of ot Russia I am nm going to as assume assume as- as sume same there were good reasons for not acting but wo we havo have not acted It Is 11 a shifting scene It looks pretty dark I It t ero now no but It will shift shirt again agnin and unless wo we do something to preparo prepare to act when tho the next occasion comes wo shall not bo ho ready and there thoro will beno bo be bono bono no action It appears that If It there Is 13 to be bo any action to make mako good our assurance to Russia tho the American people must get bet behind the tho words word that have been spoken epo- epo ken in their behalf and call for tor ac ac- tion This Is how we wo got Gol into tho the war Wo did not got In until the tho people of ot tho the United States were waked up to i tho the imminent occasion for action and with their mighty driving power put I our country Into action themselves Lot Lotus I ns us do something now If It wo we can to be ber r ready dy when tho the next opportunity comes Time Now 1 Opportune The Tho ne next t thing I wish to say is that now Is tho the timo time to lay the foundations to take talce the tho first steps to establish the tho relations ne necessary for tor tho the friendly and use useful CuI Intercourse of ot trade between the tho United States and Russia Ono form torm of oC activity which carries no DO condescension on ono one nor humiliation on the tho other which Is beneficial to both parties parties' I Is fair trade The people of ot Russia need deeply desperately need need the things that th- wo we ye can cn 8 supply to them by tho the es es- es t of or intercourse in the tho e exchange ex ox- change chango of or products which has been the basis of or all the prosperity and tho the opportunities opportunities opportunities op op- for tor growth among civilized nations Now is the time for us to pot put ourselves our oar solves selves on a n. footing with nUBS Russia in which in th the tho days to some come when the skies have o cleared and order Is reestablished re will make tho the Rossi Russian an people and th the tho American people partners co in tho exchange of ot products product which will benefit both Other nations are doing onG It The Canadians aro are doln doing It tho the Japanese arc are doing it tho the Germans are arc doing It many others We alone with all our enterprise with all nn oar iv 1 th all tho the habits a and d th the tho t traditions s 's and d the capacity for tor affirmative and vigorous vig vl- orous and progressive action built bu lt up In the tho course courso of the last century during which we havo made this gre great t country what It Is with Is-with with all aU that wo we alone hang back That is something which now the tho business men of or Am America can begin to see Beo themselves and the effect will be that those poor fellows in Russia whose course courso of ot production and of or trade has been broken up b by the terrible terrible ter ter- ter- ter events of oC tho the lost five lve years will wm begin to reecho receive from America some benefits other than the enjoyment of ot mere mero rhetoric something besides c empty ePt pty words For War AVar on The Tho third thing I want to say Bay is that Rus Russia cIa is tho the place for Americans Americana Americans Ameri Ameri- cans cana to fight tight and destroy Bolshevism Wo We are aro fiddling fiddling- arou around d here with a few Bolshevik agents and wo we pick up a n. dozen or a hundred and make a great outcry in the newspapers about de deportInG deporting do- do porting them a few fe among the thousands thousands thousands thou thou- sands and the men who have havo gained control of or old Russia by the use of or German money by tho the use uso of ot mercenary mercenary mercenary mercen mercen- ary troops by tho the exercise of or a a. tyranny and terrorism and cruelty n never no ver surpassed surpassed surpassed sur sur- passed In those history those men are us using us- us In ing the tho resources of ot that great rich country to pour out a steady stream of ot propagandists who nho laugh at our feeble efforts Wo Wo are like the tho physician who at attempted attempted at- at tempted to heal a mortal disease b by a a. poultice upon tho the surface instead Insle of or cutting to tho the seat scat of tho Infection an and curetting tho the wound Tho The way to destroy destroy destroy de de- de- de stroy Bolshevism Is to put tho the strength and heartiness and courage and hope of or prosperity into tit people of oC Russia I who ho are ready themselves to destroy Bolshevism if It they thoy con but have o tho tiro means to support life Ure and to hold thom thom- solves together and to secure supplies and ammunition and to pay their troops and to furnish them with shoes and clothes clotho and to make malo head against that thit horrid group of oC throats cut-throats and nt assassins assas- assas sins and t tyrants who aro are now oppressing oppress oppress- ing them That In Is tho the wh tray v to fight Bolshevism at Its center at its Ita source tho the source of ot its supplies and the source of oC Its strength And we sit Idle doln doing nothing I Future Assured 1 I have ha lost no faith in the tho future of ot Russia It is but a a. short time less than three years ears ears since the czar was dethroned Wo We made malIc our Declaration of ot Independence in 1776 and amid turmoil turmoil turmoil tur tur- moil and confusion and dissension we reached a n. settled government only In 1789 1759 more moro than four times Umes the tho period that thal has haJ elapsed in nu Russia la and we had hod the tho advantage of or great and then unprecedented experience in tho the art of oc government for wo we had been building up self government for a a. century and anda a half halt when whon our American revolution came I How long It was before Prance France France with all aU its culture Its IUs science once ence its art its literature its polite manners manners-before manners before Franch achieved its revolution and settled government after fter It In 1793 1795 she beheaded Louis XVI and then came the tho Terror and tho and tho the Empire and tho the Restoration Restoration Re Re- and tho the Second Republic and the Second Empire and two generations generations genera genera- passed before she sho reached her goal of or settled popular government Tho English beheaded d Charles I In 1619 ISH How long IonS it was 13 attained attained at nl- settled conditions Eleven years later she sho so BO despaired of ot tho the success of or her attempt to secure popular r freedom freedom free treo- dom that she went back In tho the Restoration Restoration Restoration Resto Resto- ration of ot Charles H IT and it was not until until until un un- un- un til what tho the English called tho glorious revolution of 1688 nearly forty years after arter that per her er affairs became settled Seca Sees Stron Strong Republic Long before tho the expiration of ot tho the periods In which any of these nations now at tho the forefront of ot popular self self- government achieved settled conditions condition long before that period has elapsed I Il l look ok to see ace Russia work out her own onn questions work them out as sho she is working them out now through bloodshed bloodshed bloodshed blood blood- shed and suffering an and travail to tho the consummation of or a strong and complete completo democratic republic And where will America be bo then A friend Jn a true friend Or one r faithless to professions professions professions of oC friendship Can wo we remain quiet and nd see seo that great consummation wrought t out without liftin lifting a. a hand hand to tomake tomake make good tho the profuse promises with I which wo we greeted tho the revolution of ot tho the Russian people Every Even consideration of or good faith of or honor of oC public policy pol pol- Ic icy of oC selfish Interests conspires to tomake tomake tomako make mako it the duty duly of ot American citizens to L take ke thought now upon how they thoy c can n help Russia Russin prove provo tho the reality of ot their friendship for tor nUllS Russia la establish tho the toun foundations for a firm friendship in the tho future We e should do It by our own efforts Tho The men lit itt production and in trade trado c can n do something now without waiting tho the American people can make malo ready now for tor effective assistance upon tho thu next opportunity that comes comoa and we vvo can do It b by bringing to bear upon the tho government gov gov- government of our country tho the clear r knowledge and assurance of or tho the wish of tho the American people that our friendship friendship friendship friend friend- ship shall be bo real and not riot false If It the people of ot America show tho the sincerity of ot their profession be bo certain the tho government government government gov gov- of America will answer and when the government O of oC America Is sure euro that the American people wishes J It to act as a true friend of or Russia not nota a fair weather friend not i a lip serving friend not a a. rhetorical friend but a atrue atrue atrue true friend In deed decd as In words word tho the government of ot America has the power and will exercise tho the power to help the I poor fellows tho the noble fellows the self sacrificing men who are arc now try- try Ing Ing- to sav V save N their country in Russia Rus from the tho control of ot tho the tyranny that oppresses them them to to Help elp them effectively effect effect- effectively ively to success |