File No. 861.00/815
The Ambassador in Russia ( Francis) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 16, 2.20 a.m.]
2092. Morning bulletin, official Bolshevik organ, prints address signed, “The Council of the Commissaries of the People,” addressed to “all the workers and the exploited.” Address says Cadet Party is counter-revolutionary and is aiding Kaledin, Kornilov, Dutov2 and Cossacks to incite civil war; says council has determined to open Constituent Assembly when four hundred of eight hundred eligible members are assembled; that “the political leaders of the counterrevolutionary civil war will be arrested. The bourgeois rebellion will be quelled at any cost.”
[Page 302]Central Committee of Cadets arrested including Shingarev, former Minister of Finance, Kokoshkin, Countess Panin, Gessen, editor of Rech, and others. Milyukov also reported arrested but think he is not here.
City Duma declared yesterday a holiday in honor of Constituent Assembly, calling on people to assemble in churches and elsewhere. Such assemblages were prevented by Red Guard but people paraded streets in considerable numbers some passing Embassy and cheering our flag. Those passing here appeared orderly, well dressed and above average intelligence. Feeling growing exceedingly nervous.
Am inclined to think advisable for chiefs of Allied missions to join in statement to Russian people asking establishment of government which will command their support and merit recognition by Russia’s allies while disclaiming any intention or desire to interfere in any way in their internal affairs. Have you any instructions?
- Ataman of the Orenburg Cossacks.↩