File No. 861.00/2928
The Swedish Minister ( Ekengren) to the Secretary of State
Excellency: By order of my Government, I have the honor to transmit the following copies of telegrams sent by Mr. Chicherin to the Swedish Minister at Petrograd. From these telegrams it appears that certain atrocities against men, women, and especially children have been committed by the Czecho-Slovaks in the governments Samara and Ufa, for which governments the Entente have formally taken responsibility since their occupation by the Entente. Mr. Chicherin points out that these atrocities will have as consequence reciprocal measures from the Soviet government.
The telegrams read as follows:
[Translation]
Moscow, September 20.
Our friends who managed to escape from Samara bring the following:
Twelve thousand persons have been arrested; all those having some connection with the Soviet power were shot; thirty-seven women have just been arrested; out of that number sixteen wives of Bolsheviks have already been shot and the others have been sentenced to death by hanging. Samara is a [Page 702] district occupied by the Czecho-Slovaks, for which the Entente expressly assumed responsibility; therefore it is the Entente’s occupation. We expect you to protest, especially as you are a party to the action for securing release of nationals of the Entente in Russia; we have always declared that political repression in Entente regions forces upon us reprisal measures, and particularly so when confronted by such atrocities.
Moscow, September 21.
Children of St. Petersburg proletarians in children’s homes in the governments of Samara and Ufa [are] in a dreadful’condition. Czecho-Slovaks have massacred teachers and monitors with excessive cruelty; cutting off noses, ears and gouging eyes; and have taken away money and victuals. Six per cent of the children are dead. We protest against such atrocities; and hope that you will intervene for the return of the children.
With renewed assurances [etc.]