File No. 861.00/1457

The Ambassador in Russia ( Francis ) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

74. Answering your 41. Summers, who arrives Vologda to-morrow, also asks authorship of statement. Cole makes like inquiry. Think based on negotiation concerning locomotives in Japanese waters between Russian Department of Commerce and committee, including Tredwell 1 and Emery,2 which Tredwell reported to Department. Never knew of this conference, but learned after it was held that it was called by Russian Economic Commission to negotiate purchases of 12 shiploads of locomotives and railroad equipment in Japanese waters. I cabled Department asking about matter but received no reply. Please cable what shipments made on first order for 500 locomotives and 10,000 freight cars, and present location of such shipments. Does Department object to Consul’s facilitating and Embassy’s encouraging interchange of commodities between American and Russian merchants if tonnage provided by latter? I think such commerce highly desirable when safeguarded from the enemy.

Francis
  1. Roger C. Tredwell, Consul at Petrograd (Vologda).
  2. Henry C. Emery, American member of the Michelsen commission (chairman, the Russian General Michelsen), which controlled questions of preference in shipment of materials required by Russia.