File No. 861.00/2205

The Consul General at Irkutsk ( Harris ) to the Secretary of State 3

[Telegram]

25. Since April 1, 1917, as commercial representative of National City Bank,4 I have traveled 18,000 miles in Finland, Russia, Turkestan, and Siberia. Have resided in Petrograd, Moscow, Nizhni Novogorod, Samara, Astrakhan, Tashkent, Samarkand, Archangel, Omsk, and Irkutsk. Have come in contact with every class of Russian society, including financiers, workmen, peasant, manufacturers, merchants, soldiers, general, nobility, intelligentsia, politicians, and anarchists. Believe I am entitled to offer an opinion on present conditions. I presume our great present interest in Russia is to get her, if possible, to fight Germany again. Russia will never fight Germany again under Bolshevik government. Bolsheviks are only interested in seizure of their power and ruining Russia. Bolsheviks [Page 240] in every city I have resided in are simply robbing, murdering, and burning. Practically every business is ruined. Seventy-five per cent of all shops closed. Private banks seized and funds confiscated. Courts of justice abolished and public-school education reduced to minimum. Foreign commerce nationalized. Landed property both large and small seized and divided. Factories nationalized and workmen paid for doing nothing. Currency system reduced to printing unlimited quantities of worthless paper. Not content with ruining Russia in a disgraceful treaty with Germany Bolsheviks are now permitting Germany, wherever possible, to buy up all raw materials and foodstuffs for shipment to Germany while Russians starve. Fifty per cent of Soviet government in each town consists of Jews of worst type, many of whom are anarchists.

It would be grave mistake on our part to officially recognize Bolsheviks who scarcely represent 8 per cent of Russian population and in many places, as Irkutsk for example, depend upon armed prisoners of war to keep them in power. I recommend intervention on part of Allies in such a way as to enable the real people of Russia to rally to Ally standard and fight the common enemy. Best element in Russia will never rally to Bolsheviks even if they should declare war on Germany. The great mass of Russian people prefer even German tyranny to Bolshevik terrorism. I suggest careful consideration of Allied intervention even with Japanese assistance along with American, French, English and Chinese troops, making it perfectly clear to Russian people that there will be no occupation of Russian territory but that such action is solely to assist them in again renewing the struggle with Germany. Am certain Russian people would accept such statement in good faith and not object to Japanese. There are at present 70,000 armed Czechs between Penza and Vladivostok, an army which may be utilized as a nucleus, and many anti-Bolsheviks are now rallying to the Czechs in order to overthrow Bolsheviks. If we can induce Russia to again declare war upon Germany the moral effect upon German people would be as discouraging as if a great battle were lost in France.

As soon as a new government is firmly established after overthrow of Bolsheviks in Siberia and Russia we should recognize and assist it by every means in our power so that a new battle line may again be drawn up against Germany. The effect of such Russian action upon Austria and Turkey would be incalculable. In this connection I recommend that Czechs remain for the present in Siberia and that a joint Allied intervention be immediately considered. A German advance might result in occupation of Moscow and Petrograd but such action would also give Germany a starving, [Page 241] discontented and revolting population. If Allies do not intervene and Czechs are left unsupported there is grave danger of Germany’s seizing Siberian Railway line through armed prisoners of war. If Czechs are not supported there is danger that they may be overthrown by Bolsheviks and prisoners of war.

Harris
  1. Sent via the Consulate at Vladivostok (No. 20).
  2. Ernest L. Harris retired from the Consular Service in August 1916, was reappointed in May 1918, and detailed as Consul General at Irkutsk.