FIFTY LETTERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 520, 2 May 1933, Page 2

FIFTY LETTERS

RUSSIAN MILITARY OFFICER CHALLENGES AMERICAN TO DUEL. OBJECTION TO CRITICISM. A letter full of fiery critcism and winding up with a challenge to fight a duel' has been forwarded by Lieu-tenant-General Konstatin Sakharoff, commander of the Kolchak White Russian forces that fought Bolshevism from 1917 to 1920, to Major-General William S. Graves, retired, who was commander of the United States Siberian Expedition, states the New York Times. General Sakharoff, who says he is sending a copy of the letter to the War Department, was provoked to write it by the book "America's Sibexian Adventure" in which General Graves explains why he refused to allow American troops to support Admiral Kolchak, although represeiitatives of the American State Department in Russia wished him to do sO .. At present a leader .of the White Russian exiles, General Sakharoff charges : — "You, General Graves, wh'o did ~11 in your power to prevent the success of the rightful Russian cause, now permit yourself to mock its fadlure. You are again trying to deceive the American public just as you did irt Siberia as commander of the American troops. You try now as then to present the Bolsheviks . as promoters of the people's freedom, welfare and happ'iness, and las democrats when the world has since learned to know the true face of Bolshevism as a power that haa flooded the land with blood and tears and waged- merciless war ragainst God and Christianity and corrupted the mind of youth." After declaring his intention of attacking General Graves physieally whei*ever he meets 'him, General Sakharoff concludes: "I sincerely trust public opinion in America will condemn the man who injured not only the ill-fated Russian nation, but his own country, because lall the bitterness, pain, injustice, and foul play he caused in Siberia were caused by the incapacity of the representative of the United States, a General in the United States Army. Out of respect for the honour of this army I laan prepared to give you satisfaction. . . . I am ready to meet you in a duel, leaving you the choice .of a couptry where duels are permitted by law. You have the right to answer this proposal within two months after you receive this letter." "I won't do lanything' about it.. I'll just ignore it," said Major-General Graves.