File No. 811.142/2757
The Ambassador in Russia ( Francis) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 11, a.m.]
2028 [2080?]. Pravda, Bolshevik organ, to-day contains letter from Vladimir Bakrylov, former secretary of Breshkovskaya, headed, “Relations of American Red Cross with Russian political men.” It relates that Breshkovskaya and Sauskis, Kerensky’s secretary, were “cooking up something with a group of Americans [Page 292] from the Red Cross”; that Americans had promised two million dollars; that Sauskis brought “Robins and two other Americans,” who handed Breshkovskaya two packages of fifty thousand rubles paid by Americans; that Sauskis reported that over two million rubles had already been deposited and the rest would be deposited next day; states this money was used or to be used for publishing newspapers, operating cinemas, organizing lecturers, etc. It appears that several newspapers were founded which have been since suppressed; one called Narodnaya Pravda had its first issue suppressed because “was of such pogrom character with caricatures of Chernov, Lenin, and others that Sauskis and Breshkovskaya protested and asked to do it over again.” It stated further: “Having glanced into this abyss of filth, I told Breshkovskaya that I could not longer work for her and left.” Letter ends, “My conscience will not allow me to be silent longer.”
This is first knowledge of application of money concerning which have cabled Department.
Thompson and his publicist, Brown, left 4th for London. Breshkovskaya’s whereabouts unknown.