[Enclosure]
Mr. William C.
Bullitt, of the Division of Western European
Affairs, to the Secretary of State
Washington
, November 25, 1918.
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Germany has moved
along the road to Bolshevism with such speed during the past week
that it is now doubtful that even the wisest action by the United
States and the Governments with which we are associated in the war
will prevent Bolshevik domination of Prussia and the seaports. If we
do not act wisely, and at once, a Liebknecht-Mehring dictatorship
inevitably will play the same role in Berlin that the Lenine-Trotzky
dictatorship is playing in Petrograd.
The situation in Germany at present is this:
- 1.
- There is not the slightest possibility of a return to
power of any Hohenzollern or any counter revolutionary
leader. The old order has been rooted out, though naturally
in isolated country communities and in complicated
Governmental departments remnants of the old bureaucracy
remain.
- 2.
- The Government of Bavaria and the Government of Prussia at
the present moment are in the hands of the most decent men
in Germany—the moderate Social Democrats and their intimate
allies of other progressive parties.
- 3.
- These Governments are menaced by the Spartacus Group of
Bolsheviki. (Note. On November 21, Liebknecht formally
announced that he is a Bolshevik.)
- 4.
- At present the Bolsheviki are weak in Bavaria but strong
in the Hansa towns, the northern Rhine districts and
Berlin.
- 5.
- Kiel, Bremen and Düsseldorf are already in the hands of
the Bolsheviki, according to press reports.
- 6.
- The Russian Bolsheviki are supplying Liebknecht and his
followers with unlimited funds and materials for the
dissemination of propaganda.
- 7.
- The German Bolshevik propagandists are concentrating their
efforts on the supply zone behind the active zone of the
army, where all discipline ceased and disorder supervened
the day the armistice was signed. Their propaganda is having
great success in this mass of hungry, disorderly men.
- 8.
- Liebknecht’s meetings in Berlin are becoming more and more
popular.
- 9.
- The so-called “Government” or “Cabinet” in Berlin has
acknowledged
[Page 100]
the
control of the Executive Committee of the Workmen’s and
Soldiers’ Council.
- 10.
- This Executive Committee is composed of equal numbers of
Majority and Independent Socialists, and an indeterminate
number of representatives of the soldiers and workmen. The
Executive Committee is much more radical than the “Cabinet”,
and is becoming more radical every day.
- 11.
- The Executive Committee has announced its opposition to an
immediate Constituent Assembly and apparently has forced the
“Government” to abandon the plan to hold elections for the
Assembly on January 2. The Executive Committee favors the
immediate summoning of representatives of the various
Workmen’s and Soldiers’ Councils throughout Germany to form
a Central Council and to prepare a form of Government for
the former Empire.
The parallel between the course of the revolution in Germany and the
course of the revolution in Russia is obvious. As the Government of
Prince Lvov represented the progressive bourgeoisie of Russia, so
the Government of Prince Max represented the progressive bourgeoisie
of Germany. As Kerensky represented the moderate democratic
socialists of Russia, so Ebert represents the moderate democratic
socialists of Germany. As Lenine represents anti-democratic
proletarian dictatorship in Russia, so Liebknecht represents
anti-democratic proletarian dictatorship in Germany. Kerensky fell
and Lenine succeeded him, partly, to be sure, because of Kerensky’s
own mistakes, but partly because the Allies and the United States
did not take his appeals for material and spiritual aid at their
face value. So today there is the gravest danger that Ebert will
fall because the Allies and the United States will not take his
appeals for material and spiritual aid at anything like their face
value.
It is my belief that Ebert is entirely sincere and truthful when he
says that unless the period for carrying out certain terms of the
armistice is extended and unless the number of railroad engines and
cars demanded by the Allies is diminished, such dislocation of
economic life will ensue in Germany that Bolshevism will be
inevitable. A hundred facts may be cited to prove this contention;
it seems advisable, however, to burden this memorandum with only one
example: A secret agent of Military Intelligence who was in
Düsseldorf on November 18 returned to Holland on November 21 and
reported: [“]The street cars were running, the railroads not. The
garrison troops had returned and were making a noisy demonstration
in the streets for food. Otherwise things were quiet.” On November
23, the Spartacus Group gained control of Düsseldorf!
If the present German Government of moderate democratic socialists is
to hold its position it must be sustained not only by economic
assistance but also by political support. There is need for
amelioration
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of certain
conditions of the armistice, there is need for immediate supervision
by Mr. Hoover of food distribution, and there is also need for the
right word at the right time from President Wilson. In order that
the right word may be said at the right time it is necessary to
establish at once the closest unofficial relations with the Ebert
Government.
The gravity of the situation cannot be overemphasized. Unless we
support the Ebert Government a little more strongly than the Russian
Bolsheviki are supporting the Spartacus Group, Germany will become
Bolshevist. Austria and Hungary will follow Germany’s example. And
the remainder of Europe will not long escape infection.
Very respectfully submitted,
