File No. 861.00/1797
The Consul General at Moscow (Summers) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 16, 4.42 p.m.]
439. Macgowan telegraphs from Irkutsk following official statements published by Siberian central [Soviet] government regarding recent arrest four Japanese subjects on charge of espionage:
On April 10 on highway between stations Manchuria and Borzya Russian soldiers arrested two Japanese subjects and seized packet addressed by the Japanese Consul at Harbin to the Japanese Vice Consul, Irkutsk, including under its seal packet addressed to Russian [Page 146] subject Vera Shestyakovich, the former wife of a Cossack captain connected with Semenov, and another packet containing official communication in Russian bank [dated] March 23 from chief staff Russian armies in railway zone of Chinese Eastern Railway to director of military topographic department of staff of Irkutsk military circuit requesting transmission to Harbin of largest scale map of entire Trans-Baikal and Priamur. Communication from Japanese Consul at Harbin to Vice Consul Irkutsk disclosed that messenger was to return with maps, also that Russian woman mentioned was to obtain plans and deliver them to Irkutsk Vice Consul receiving in return 800 rubles. Among other letters in packet attention drawn to one from Harbin addressed to representative of Japanese colony at Irkutsk stating that three Japanese agents dispatched from Manchuria Station April 5 would communicate numerical strength of forces to be dispatched pursuant to request of military commanders at Harbin to occupy a certain place not named. Other letters communicated details respecting strength of Red Army forces at Dauriya.
Macgowan adds Japanese Vice Consul unable to secure release of arrested Japanese, to see them or to send them anything except food and clothing.
Following is translation of radiogram addressed to French Government, Paris, April 27 by Commissar Foreign Affairs:
On April 23 the following statement by your Ambassador Noulens was reported in the Moscow press (text of statement follows).1 Having asked Noulens as to the correctness of this statement we have received an official confirmation of it through Labonne, the Consul at Moscow. In the serious days through which Russia is now living Noulens’s statements can hardly lead to friendly relations between the Russian and the French people. A representative of the French Government who helps to prejudice relations between France and Russia cannot be tolerated within the Russian Republic. The government of the Russian Federated Socialistic Soviet Republic expresses its certainty that Noulens will be immediately recalled by the Government of the French Republic. Chicherin.
Press states that on April 27 [26] a further note was sent to Berlin regarding violation of the Brest treaty in substance as follows:
The Russian Soviet government has done its part to keep treaty so as to bring about a condition of peace, but in reality there is no peace. In the southern part of the republic German troops are advancing. They are advancing on to thoroughly Russian territory, such as Orel, Kursk and Voronezh. They have also advanced into the Crimea. At the same time Russian military stores in Finland are being captured by White Guards acting under German leadership. In accordance with the Brest treaty the Russian Government expressed its readiness to begin peace negotiations with the Ukrainian Rada, but no answer has been received from that government which acts under German instructions. It is quite evident that such a situation can not long endure. The Russian Republic earnestly desiring [Page 147] peace is prepared to observe the treaty in the future. At the moment when Mirbach delivers his papers to the Russian authorities Russia is sure that he will use all his influence with the German Government to obtain a statement whether it still regards the Brest treaty as being in force. In the affirmative case Germany is asked to state what measure they will take to stop this advance, which is a threat to the treaty. If German Government does not consider Brest treaty as law, it is asked to state its new terms, which are evidently such as to necessitate the advance of Ukrainian, Finnish and German troops into Russia. Peace for Russia and also universal peace, for which the Russian working classes are longing, depends on Germany’s answer.
- Vol. i, p. 509, footnote 2.↩