File No. 861.00/3508
The Consul General at Copenhagen (Gale) to the Secretary of State, forwarding report by Vice Consul (Lehrs)
[Received December 21.]
1. The Baltic Provinces
During the period of occupation of the Baltic provinces by German troops the local administration was under complete control of the Germans. The revolution in Germany brought about a relaxation of the influence and deprived the local government of its strong support. The old authorities having thus become powerless, new governments have recently been established.
[Page 851]According to the Finnish and German papers independent republics were proclaimed, Esthonia and Latvia, about a week ago, the latter with its capital in Riga.
According to German sources, the government of the republic of Latvia consists of the following persons: Karl Ulmann, Prime Minister; Meierovich, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Walter, Minister of the Interior; Yaranchavski, Minister of Finance; Ulmann, Minister of Agriculture; Germanerski, Minister of Labor. It is alleged that there is not a single German amongst the members of the republican governments of Esthonia and Latvia.
No information is at hand regarding the new government of Esthonia. It is known, however, that in Esthonia the local election in the summer of 1917, as well as the Constitutional Assembly elections in November 1917, gave the majority to the non-socialistic parties and to such who desired a connection with Russia. The representative of the people of Esthonia at the central government in Ufa, expressed the hope that Esthonia would not be severed from Russia.
Although the character of the new government of Latvia is unknown at present, it may be feared that it is in sympathy with the radical socialistic parties; it should not also be left unobserved that the only reliable battalions in the service of the Soviet government in Russia are those consisting of Letts; the commander in chief of the Russian forces, Vadsetis, as well as the president of the “Russian Extraordinary Committee against Counter-Revolution, Sabotage, and Speculation,” Peters, are Letts. The attitude towards the Russian Soviet government, however, seems to be a negative one in both republics.
The Russian Government is demanding that Workmen’s and Peasants’ Councils should be established in the new republics and that the same should unite with the existing councils of German soldiers. The Bolsheviks are threatening heavy reprisals if the councils are not formed immediately, but notwithstanding the pressure the councils have not been established. …