If it meets with your approval will you be good enough to send it to the
telegraph office of the Department so that it can immediately be put upon
the wires?28
[Enclosure]
Draft Telegram to the Ambassador in Great
Britain (Page)29
For Crosby.30 The Russian situation has been
carefully considered and the conclusion has been reached that the
movement in the south and southeast under the leadership of Kaledine and
Korniloff offers at the present time the greatest hope for the
reestablishment of a stable government and the continuance of a military
force on the German and Austrian fronts. While there can be no certainty
of the success of Kaledine it is not improbable that he may succeed.
From Moscow and Tiflis come very favorable reports as to the strength of
the movement and as to the weakening power of the Bolsheviki.
In view of the policy being pursued by Lenine and Trotsky which if
continued will remove Russia as a factor in the war and may even make
her resources available to the Central Powers, any movement tending to
prevent such a calamity should be encouraged even though its success is
only a possibility.
[Page 346]
It would seem unwise for this Government to support openly Kaledine and
his party because of the attitude which it seems advisable to take with
the Petrograd authorities, but it is felt that the Kaledine group should
be shown that the Allied Governments are most sympathetic with his
efforts. Without actually recognizing his group as a de facto government, which is at present impossible since it
has not taken form, this Government cannot under the law loan money to
him to carry forward his movement. The only practicable course seems to
be for the British and French Governments to finance the Kaledine
enterprise in so far as it is necessary, and for this Government to loan
them the money to do so. In that way we would comply with the statute
and at the same time strengthen a movement which seems to present the
best possibility of retaining a Russian army in the field.
You will, after conferring with the Ambassador, take this matter up with
the proper British and French authorities having charge of financial
matters and report as soon as possible their views and whether or not
they are willing to adopt the course above outlined and if so, to what
extent financial aid will be required.
In view of the fact that this matter relates to credits to foreign
governments and at the suggestion of Secretary McAdoo, who approves of
the policy, I am addressing this telegram to you directly assuming that
you will before taking the matter up with representatives of Great
Britain and France confer with the Ambassador as to the politic course
to pursue.
I need not impress upon you the necessity of acting expeditiously and
with impressing those with whom you talk of the importance of avoiding
it being known that the United States is considering showing sympathy
for the Kaledine movement, much less of providing financial
assistance.
