File No. 861.00/921
The Assistant Secretary of State (Phillips) to the Secretary of State
Dear Mr. Secretary: The French Ambassador called this afternoon to say that the French Government has received information from the French Consul at Helsingfors and from other sources that the Bolsheviki are about to declare that they will not object to the independence of Finland. If these are the facts the French believe that it would be the best policy to recognize Finland instantly in order to prevent Germany from being the first of the belligerent powers to recognize. France, however, inquires how this Government feels.1
Sincerely,
- Note in the margin of MS.: “Consulted Sec’y and advised Ambassador that U. S. had no plans for immediate recognition Finland and no information as to attitude of Bolsheviki re Finland.—W[illiam] P[hillips].”↩