File No. 861.00/2412
The Consul at Vladivostok (Caldwell) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 4, 4.17 a.m.]
76. Replying Department’s July 31, 6 p.m., and supplementing my July 31, 2 p.m. Do not believe rivalry between two governments mentioned or pro-German elements were responsible for the result of election to any large extent, but fear of and hostility toward Horvat government which is regarded by laboring classes as anti-revolutionary appear to have induced some to go to other extreme. Disinclination of this class to fight again also probably had some effect. This feeling is shown in refusal of Russian workmen at local naval shops to make hand grenades for Czechs, saying they prefer no work and hunger to doing such work and threatening to damage machinery which necessitated placing of international patrol in navy yard to protect property. Figures now show 77 per cent of possible voters voted, as against 53 per cent at previous election, so that result cannot be attributed to failure to vote to the extent at first supposed. Czechs are being pressed for the release of Soviet member elected to city council and whom Czechs hold for agitation against them and for connections with Hungarian war prisoners; Czechs appeal to Allied Consuls for advice.
Czech commander is Major General Dietrichs, Russian, elected by Czechs; request for Japanese war vessels at Nikolaevsk was made by him to Admiral Kato during conference on Brooklyn, but did not come to the attention of Admiral Knight at the time. Request was due to reports that German war prisoner naval officers were operating the Russian river gunboats near mouth of the Amur River. Czechs announce that attack made on Bell [sic] Telegraph was a part of [anarchist?] plan, and that hereafter persons guilty of crimes will be tried by court-martial. Colonel [name garbled], who was appointed by Zemstvo to command Russian forces to date raised here, has declared this province in state of siege without consulting Allied commanders or Czechs, by whom matter now will be considered.
Eight hundred British troops arrived this morning.