File No. 861.00/3381
The Minister in Sweden ( Morris) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 10, 3.17 a.m.]
3300. Referring to my cable 3281, of December 5, 4 p.m., forecasting a severance of diplomatic relations between Sweden and Bolsheviks, I quote below an official communiqué which has now been issued by Swedish Foreign Office:
In view of the present food difficulties in Russia, and owing to the state of insecurity due to the repeated closing of the frontiers, it has been found necessary to require Swedes living in Russia to return home and to reduce the Swedish representation there to a minimum. The personnel of the Legation at Petrograd and the Consulate General at Moscow have now left Russia with the exception of two officials left at the Legation.
It being furthermore established that Soviet government and its representatives have abused right granted them to send couriers in using these couriers as means of forwarding Bolshevik propaganda [Page 731] literature printed in various languages and designed for circulation in different countries, Minister Foreign Affairs to-day informed representative Soviet government to Sweden that diplomatic privileges he has hitherto enjoyed shall be withdrawn; viz., right to receive and dispatch couriers and state telegrams. In connection herewith, Minister Foreign Affairs declared that he expects representatives for Soviet government here to leave country unhindered. Return to Sweden of Swedes in Russia is naturally a condition for permission for Soviet representatives to leave country.
Repeated to Paris. Copy to London.