File No. 701.7161/4
The Ambassador in Russia ( Francis) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 24, 8.45 a.m.]
2256. To-day’s issue of anarchist organ contains following:
Citizen Ambassador, we have received your official statement-protest against the arrest of the Rumanian Minister Diamandi and looting of the cellars of the Italian Ambassador Torretta.1
We have the honor reply you as follows: Messrs. Torretta and Diamandi, same as all the other diplomatic representatives in Russia of the Allied and non-Allied powers, are the authorized representatives in Russia of their capitalistic and imperialistic governments and spokesmen of the bourgeois interests of their countries.
As such all diplomatic representatives of all countries from the beginning of the revolution acting under the orders of their governments actively interfered in the Russian affairs and tried to hinder the progress of the Russian revolution interfering in the liberation of the laboring class. They actively and materially supported all the counter-revolutionary ideas and actions of Kornilov, Kaledin, Dukhonin, the Ukrainian Rada and all the other foes of the liberation of the laboring Russian people.
The governments that sent you to Russia in their own countries are everywhere the foes of the laboring classes, are strangling each revolutionary step of their nations, shooting, hanging, and putting in prisons the leading fighters for the liberation of mankind.
Therefore we in fighting with the counter-revolutionists of our own country have nothing to say against the arrest by the Bolsheviks of the Rumanian diplomatic representative.
In particular as far as you are concerned, Mr. American Ambassador, kindly take notice of the following statement.
The leading fighter in the cause of liberating mankind, our comrade Thomas Mooney, has been sentenced to death by your Government. The Government of the United States has also put into prison our comrades Alexander Berkman, Emma Goldman and others.
At numerous meetings regarding this the Russian workmen, peasants, soldiers and sailors have expressed their energetic protest regarding atrocities perpetuated by your Government towards honest revolutionists and demanded their immediate liberation. In numerous resolutions regarding this the Russian soldiers, workmen and sailors pointed out that to violence they will reply by violence, to death by death.
Owing to the fact that neither you, Mr. Ambassador, nor your Government have given due attention to these resolutions we are authorized to officially announce to you that if in the shortest time possible our comrades Thomas Mooney, Alexander Berkman, Emma Goldman and others will not be liberated then we shall consider you personally responsible for their lives and liberty. You defend one [Page 354] of the members of the Diplomatic Corps as its doyen which means that you have diplomatic mutual responsibility. Know then that with us revolutionists there is also our own international mutual aid.