File No. 861.24/69a
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Russia (Francis)
87. Referring to your 89, April 12, 1 a.m., and 114, April 20, 7 p.m. Department desires you to obtain full information through Consul General and his assistants in Russia as follows:
- 1.
- Enumerate supplies available, which would be useful to the enemy.
- 2.
- State quantity, price, and location of such supplies.
- 3.
- What part of such supplies can be purchased?
- 4.
- What quantities can railways move to seaport, or at least beyond reach of enemy?
- 5.
- State what particular commodities among these supplies are especially desired by the enemy and at the same time may be purchased with reasonable assurance of their being moved out of Russia.
At present Department has no funds other than $1,000,000 at disposal of military attaché. You should therefore include in your report a detailed statement of further amount needed and specific and practicable purposes for which it would be required.
Any shipments which may be made from this country in exchange for Russian commodities, should such means prove only method of obtaining some of these supplies, must be safeguarded from falling into enemy hands or serving enemy purposes. How can this be accomplished? Department is conferring on this subject with representatives of British and French Governments here with a view to cooperation.
Department desires preliminary reply at once.