File No. 861.00/3192
The Consul General at Irkutsk (Harris) to the Secretary of State1
[Received November 7, 3.55 p.m.]
170. French Ambassador Regnault and English Sir Charles Eliot, high commissioner to Siberia, both now Irkutsk, have agreed to the following formula which will govern their relations with this all-Russian government at Omsk:
The Governments of the Allies welcome the entering of a new era for Russia by which order will be restored through the reinforcements of military forces and are glad to be able to maintain, through the nomination of agents, relations with the Directorate. The duty of the Allies representatives will be to follow sympathetically and render [assist] in every way the work of the Directorate until the latter can receive the status of official recognition through its firmness in practice, its genial action and by the freely expressed consent of the people. It is the wish of the Allied Governments to render help to Russia and to cooperate with the directors of Russian Government policy and to help them restore the state. The Allied Governments will do anything in their power to render all material and moral assistance which the directors may need.
The above is a literal translation from the French.
The commissioners France and England have asked my cooperation and I have replied that I must confine myself to the policy laid down in the Department’s instructions, October 23, 6 p.m.,2 especially that part which authorizes me to give aid and advice to local institutions in their efforts improve local conditions and not to any other.
In my judgment, the best policy for United States Government to follow is to wait until all governments of Russia are in position to communicate freely with each other, thus enabling a truly all-Russian government to govern vast importation [population] which will have represented in it all the diversified interests of the country, including not only Siberia but all the provinces of European Russia, the Caucasus and Turkestan. A recognition of the present Omsk all-Russian government would be futile for the reason that European Russia will never rally to it as at present constituted. Then, again, the present Omsk government consists chiefly of [omission] and in its process of reconstruction last week it was as thoroughly dominated by the Siberian politicians as was the [Ufa] convention dominated two months ago by the Social Revolutionary element of Samara. I am of the opinion that the sending of high commissioners [Page 427] to Siberia on the part France and England was unwise because it savors of recognition and is lending encouragement to a group which has its own territorial ends in view rather than the best interests of all Russia. In my judgment the all-Russian government the United States Government should recognize is the one formed by a newly elected Constituent Assembly consisting of representatives of all the people. It is certain that the eventual seat of this government will not be Omsk but some city in European Russia and the United States Government should be represented in such city by the Embassy now at Archangel.
On the other hand I recommend that the American Government give every possible assistance in the way of clothing and ammunition to the Siberian army, the same thing which is now being done for the Czechs in Siberia. My experience proves that military leaders, with a few exceptions, have the interests of all Russia more at heart than is the case with the civil leaders. Their efforts should be encouraged for it is only through the police work of a well-disciplined army that law and order ever will be restored in Siberia and Russia.
Please send Ambassador Francis, Archangel, copy this telegram and acknowledge receipt to me.