Memorandum handed the Secretary of State by the German and Russian ambassadors December 12, 1901.
The assassination of President McKinley, together with the anarchistic crimes and attempts upon the lives of chief magistrates committed in recent years, have rendered it terribly evident that a struggle against the menace of anarchy is an urgent necessity for all governments and a duty whose performance can not be postponed.
It is evident that concerted action on the part of the governments interested can not be really successful unless the uniform and strict enforcement of the measures that may be adopted against the anarchists can be secured by an international understanding. It would be preferable, it seems, to attain that end by an exchange of views among the governments rather than by convoking a new conference.
The Imperial Government of Germany and the Imperial Government of Russia have consequently agreed to propose such common action to the powers as will tend to the adoption of uniform measures in order to check the anarchistic movement.
The resolutions of the conference held at Rome in 1898, only a very small part of which has been put in practice, might serve as a basis for the projected understanding. It would be desirable that the governments, agreeably to the decisions of that conference, should agree to adopt uniform administrative measures having for their object the establishment of a rigorous surveillance of the anarchists by the creation of central bureaus in the various countries, by the exchange of information, and by international regulations relative to the expulsion of anarchists from all countries of which they are not subjects. The projected understanding should, so far as this may be possible, not confine itself to the measures above referred to, but should comprise various legislative measures tending to strengthen and complete the provisions of the penal code against the anarchists, against the combined effects of their common action, and against the subversive press. It would, [Page 197] furthermore, be well to introduce into legislation a more complete and precise definition of anarchistic crime in all its aspects.
The governments of Germany and Russia express the hope that the United States Government will not refuse to recognize the necessity of energetically resisting the development of the anarchistic movement. The representatives of the two governments, therefore, beg the United States Government to inform them as speedily as possible whether it is disposed in principle to cooperate with the German and Russian governments in establishing an exchange of views that may lead to common action based, either in whole or in part, upon the propositions set forth.
In case of an affirmative reply, the details regarding the enforcing of the measures in question might be subsequently elaborated.