861.00/939½a
The Secretary of State to
President Wilson
Washington,
January 10, 1918
.
My Dear Mr. President: You will recall that after
Cabinet meeting Tuesday you suggested, upon reading a memorandum32 which I showed
you in regard to our attitude toward Russia, that it would be well to draft
a telegram to Francis which could be, through unofficial channels,
transmitted to the Bolshevik Government.
I considered the matter and consulted with Mr. Polk on the subject and we
both reached the conclusion that the object would not be as well attained by
a telegram of that sort as it would for me to issue a public statement of
our attitude here and let Mr. Creel transmit it to Russia to his
representatives there and we send it to Francis for his information. In that
way it would obtain greater publicity and would, I think, accomplish every
purpose that could be accomplished by unofficially delivering it to the
Bolshevik Government, which would have a measure of danger and might cause
irritation—while a statement would not.
I therefore drafted a proposed statement and would be glad to have your views
as to this method of stating our attitude, and also as to the language of
the statement.
I am leaving tomorrow noon, as I told you, for New York and will return
Sunday night. Possibly by that time you will have had the opportunity to
pass upon the statement.
Faithfully yours,
[Enclosure]
Draft Statement To Be Issued by the Secretary of
State
In view of the fact that there seems to be some confusion in the public
mind as to the attitude of this Government in regard to the present
Russian situation it seems to me advisable to make at this time a
statement upon the subject.
[Page 350]
Although Russia appears at the present time to be separated or to be
separating into distinct political groups, each of which claims
authority over a portion of the territory of the nation, the Government
of the United States is convinced that the spirit of democracy continues
to dominate the entire Russian nation. With that spirit the United
States feels a profound sympathy and believes in the ultimate effect of
its cohesive power upon the Russian people as a whole.
The separate independent authorities functioning in different sections of
Russia present a situation to the Government of the United States which
causes it to pause before formally recognizing any one of those
authorities as the de facto Government of the
Russian nation. The evidence of the possession of a right to exercise
sovereignty over all Russia by a particular group of citizens must be
substantially conclusive before recognition, otherwise a foreign
government might reasonably be charged with exercising through
recognition an influence in favor of a group and with improperly
interfering with the internal political affairs of Russia.
In applying this principle the Government of the United States awaits the
full manifestation of the will of the Russian people because it is
convinced that it is its imperative duty to avoid any interference or
any appearance of interference with the domestic affairs of Russia,
denying at the same time that the adoption of this course is in any way
influenced by partiality for or opposition to any particular group or
body. The determination of an agency to exercise the sovereign power of
the nation belongs wholly and solely to the Russian people. As to that
they ought to be supreme. With the popular determination of the
governmental agency of all the Russian nation the United States, in
accordance with its conception of independence and national sovereignty,
has nothing and will have nothing to do. When undoubted proofs of the
will of the Russian people are manifest the Government of the United
States will gladly recognize the agents of the sovereign people of
Russia as the Russian Government and enter into relations with that
Government.
Even while the question of the governmental agency remains undecided the
United States, appreciating the dominance of the democratic spirit in
Russia and inspired by the most friendly and unselfish motives, is
desirous of rendering such aid as it is able, provided its aid is
acceptable to the Russian people, to relieve their reported needs which
have unavoidably arisen out of the social and industrial disorganization
consequent upon a radical change in political institutions.
[Page 351]
The United States has only the kindliest feelings for Russia. Its policy
as to recognition or non-recognition of a government at the present time
is founded on the principle that the Russian people are sovereign and
have the right to determine their own domestic organization without
interference or influence by other nations. Its desire to aid the people
of Russia rests solely upon the fraternal spirit which it possesses for
a great democracy which has endured so much in its struggle against
autocracy both within and without its borders.
