File No. 861.00/1892

The Consul at Moscow ( Poole ) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

549. Social Revolutionary Party which had large majority in the Constitutional Assembly held secret congress Moscow May 7 to 14. Adopted resolutions regarding Russian foreign policy of which following substance:

In view of daily increasing absorption of Russian vital resources by Germany two courses one [open] to Allies, armed intervention with consent present government, or, “considering Russia a country without a government or as having abdicated its sovereignty in favor of Germany, to have recourse to occupation of certain Russian territory in order to prevent German imperialism utilizing it for its military [Page 541] purposes.” Second course which “is not only acceptable but even desirable for Russia, which cannot think of coming out unaided from its present critical military situation,” has been proposed by the Allies to Bolshevik government several times and been stubbornly refused.

Considering that the Bolshevik policy has drawn upon Russia danger of complete loss of independence and division into spheres of influence for benefit of powerful neighbors, the Eighth Congress is of the opinion that this danger cannot be avoided except by ending immediately the Bolshevik dictatorship and revesting power in a government based on universal suffrage, a government which in the war with Germany can accept the military aid of the Allies, under such conditions and in such forms as will violate neither the territorial integrity nor sovereignty of Russia. For this government of the organized democracy based on the Constitutional Assembly, the appearance of Allied troops on Russian territory will be acceptable for purposes purely strategic, but not political, with the consent of Russia, and will not forsake guarantee of non-interference of the Allied forces in the settlement of internal political questions and the conservation of Russian territorial integrity.

Poole