File No. 861.00/2168
The Minister in Sweden (Morris) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 30, 11.30 a.m.]
2372. I should like to call your attention to the Czecho-Slovak movement, which I learn from reliable sources has been steadily growing stronger [and] is now spreading in western and southern Siberia including the industrial districts of the Urals. Well-informed people on Russia believe that there is great probability of this being the basis of a new government and since this movement is started largely by former Austro-Hungarian prisoners and deserters in Russia entirely from the Slovak provinces who were on their way to join the troops in France it would seem that this movement were wholly one in favor of the Allies and against Germany.
[Page 235]In connection with the above Lieutenant Stines1 has given me the following report:
In a letter written in Viborg on June 12 there was the following: “There is a continuous movement in favor of Michael Alexandrovich, brother of the former Tsar, as new monarch and he has now fled to join the Czecho-Slovak troops operating between Samara and Omsk.” These troops are acting in conjunction with Semenov and Dutov and are working to form a government which can be supported by the Allies. All assistance possible should be given them for they apparently have the full support of all the better elements of Russia, socialists as well as monarchists. They should be supported not only, morally but materially with all the resources of the Allies.
- Lieut. Norman C. Stines, Assistant Military Attaché at Stockholm.↩