File No. 861.00/398

The Ambassador in Russia ( Francis) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

1429. In congress of Councils of Workmen and Soldiers in session here Lenin made impassioned speech yesterday advocating general peace without annexations or contributions. Thereupon Kerensky [Page 98] spoke stating in beginning that he would repeat Lenin’s speech; reading from manuscript he expressed Lenin’s utterances in substantially same terms and then announced that he had been reading from an intercepted radio signed by Leopold of Bavaria commanding German forces. Decided sensation produced. This is another proof that Bolsheviks maintained by German money which Russian Government believes but hesitates to charge in the absence of convicting proof.

Bolsheviks, as extreme socialists called, had arranged peaceful demonstration for 2 o’clock to-day to express hostility to the Provisional Government but the demonstration was abandoned when Provisional Government prohibited assembling of crowds and is sustained therein by Congress of Workmen and Soldiers. Prohibitory order of the Government stated that if violence offered severe measures would be used.

Francis