861.00/2760½b
The Secretary of State to the General Director of the Foreign Section of the Committee on Public Information (Sisson)
My Dear Mr. Sisson: In the absence of Mr. Creel I am addressing myself to you in an urgent matter. I have just been offered an opportunity this morning to read the first installment of the data which the Committee proposes to release for publication tomorrow and which contains a scathing arraignment of Lenine and Trotsky and the Bolsheviki leaders.66 It is not likely that the Germans will fail to bring this attack, published by a Committee of which three of the President’s cabinet are members, to the attention of the Bolsheviki.
Mr. Poole, American Consul at Moscow, with the Department’s approval, has courageously remained at his post to give countenance to his colleagues of the Allied Governments who are under arrest. Mr. Allan Wardwell and Mr. Andrews of the Red Cross and two Y. M. C. A. secretaries have remained at Moscow. At least two American women are reported to be still either at Moscow or Petrograd.
The publication of the data against the Bolshevik leaders includes an arraignment of their personal integrity. In my judgment it goes further, therefore, than any of the political activities which have been charged by the Bolsheviki against the British and French representatives now under arrest. In other words, what the Committee proposes will not only tend to arouse bitter animosity against Mr. Poole and the other Americans in Russia—where hitherto they have occupied a somewhat special position owing to the attitude of this Government—but will not unlikely imperil their lives and jeopardize further the already precarious position of the official representatives of the Allies.
If the data against the Bolshevik leaders is released on the date which I understand is proposed, namely tomorrow, September 15th, [Page 385] it will be impossible to communicate with Mr. Poole in time to secure the departure of himself and the remaining Americans in Russia. In the circumstances, I am unwilling to share responsibility for the consequences which may result from the publication of these documents.
On April 23, 1918, I telegraphed the American Ambassador at London67 that no publication of this data was desired at that time or pending further conference. I assume, therefore, that the Committee’s proposed action has been taken only after the British authorities at London have been properly informed of the Committee’s intention. Please inform me definitely on this point.
I am [etc.]