File No. 861.00/1083
The Ambassador in Russia ( Francis) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 11, 1.32 p.m.]
2349. Your 2039, 1st. Delayed answering because I have been considering the safety of staff and the colony. Conclude anarchistic violence if exercised be directed solely against Embassy or me, consequently ask no change in Department’s policy, certainly not before Brest negotiations are ended.
Have absolutely reliable evidence that Lenin, Trotsky accepted German money from June to October professedly for peace propaganda and army demoralization but I have not shown to Robins as might impair his effectiveness by weakening his implicit confidence in their sincerity. I had Robins ask Ministry of Foreign Affairs to apologize to Danish Minister for visits to Legation which was done, thus again avoiding meeting and protest of the Diplomatic Corps. Danish Minister grateful. Do not consider such acts as violation of your instructions. Still think that Soviet recognition would be mistake for if separate peace concluded it would be much less binding upon Russian people and much less satisfactory to Germany without our previous recognition.