File No. 861.01/9
The Ambassador in Russia ( Francis) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 19, 5.35 a.m.]
2107. Following translation of official communication received last night from National Commissariat for Foreign Affairs:
For the information of the Allied and neutral embassies and legations: Certain embassies have refused to visa the passports of the diplomatic couriers of the National Commissariat for Foreign Affairs. The institutions concerned have given as the motive that the council of the National Commissaries is not yet “recognized” as the government. The question of recognition is one of form, and the government of the Soviets treats with entire indifference this detail of the diplomatic ritual. Nonrecognition does not free, however, from the necessity to reckon with the Soviet government as with a fact. Statements to the effect that “unrecognized government” cannot have diplomatic couriers are unfounded if only because the Soviet government considers necessary diplomatic relations not only with the governments but also with the revolutionary socialist parties which are striving for the overthrow of the existing governments. Finally, it is impossible not to point out that the above-mentioned embassies are conducting the policy of “nonrecognition “in an extremely one-sided manner as they themselves are constantly [Page 304] applying to the National Commissariat for Foreign Affairs with requests for giving them such and such authorizations and certificates for securing free passage for their diplomatic couriers, etc.
Considering the further maintenance of such an order of things entirely inadmissible, the National Commissariat for Foreign Affairs has given instructions that henceforth no permits are to be issued, in general no facilitating to be done for the representatives of those embassies which view it as their task to create for the Soviet government petty chancery difficulties.
By order of the National Commissariat for Foreign Affairs:
Secretary (Signature illegible)
Embassy has received application visa courier passport for entry to United States. Please instruct concerning treatment of such applications especially when courier carries pouch to “revolutionary socialistic parties which are striving for the overthrow of the existing governments.” Embassy official courier Franklin en route Petrograd from Jassy will be started for London in a few days and probably be refused exit unless Embassy agrees to visa Soviet courier passport for entrance to the United States.