861.77/151½
President Wilson to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Mr. Root had called my attention already to the extraordinary action of Mr. Stevens but I thank you for sending me a full copy of Mr. Stevens’ proclamation which I herewith return.
Will you not be kind enough to have the following cable sent to Mr. Stevens:
“The President appreciates very highly what Mr. Stevens and his associates are doing in Russia but thinks it wise to remind Mr. Stevens that it is important that the impression should not be created that he and his associates represent or speak for the Government of the United States. As the President explained to the Commission before they started, they were sent abroad merely to put themselves at the service of the Russian Government. Any assurances conveyed to the Russian people, therefore, as if authoritatively by the Commission would be a very grave mistake. The President does not wish in this way to discredit assurances already given but merely to convey a very friendly caution for the future.”26
Cordially and sincerely yours,
- This message was sent Aug. 15, 1917, 4 p. m. See Foreign Relations, 1918, Russia, vol. iii, p. 196.↩