Office of the Historian

Paris Peace Conf. 184.01502/74

The Chief of the Mission to the Baltic Provinces (Greene) to the Secretary General of the Commission to Negotiate Peace (Grew)

Paris, July 9, 1919.

Sir: The Mission to Finland, Esthonia, Latvia and Lithuania has now completed over 3½ months inquiry into political, military and economic conditions in these countries.

The results of these investigations have been embodied in various telegrams, statements and reports submitted from time to time. My memorandum dated June 28th47 gives briefly my conclusions and recommendations on the situation, and is supplemented by Lieut. Col. Dawley’s report of June 22nd48 recently received.*

The further status of this Mission should now be determined. Its future size, importance and responsibilities depend on the general Russian policy adopted by the American Commission to Negotiate Peace and the degree to which the Commission, in the interest of restoring peace in Europe, may desire to exert its influence towards lessening the bloodshed, misery and disorder which now prevail in Western Russia.

In my opinion the critical situation in the Baltic States and the neighboring regions justifies the United States in maintaining a Mission on the ground until a return to more normal conditions will permit the re-establishment of regular diplomatic and consular agencies and representatives. Accordingly I submit the following proposed resolution for consideration:

Resolved, that the Mission to Finland, Esthonia, Latvia and Lithuania be continued on the following basis:

1.
In the future it will be known as the Mission to Western Russia and Finland.
2.
Its jurisdiction will be Finland, Petrograd, Esthonia, Latvia, Lithuania and other non-Bolshevist areas in Western Russia.
3.
This Mission is empowered and it will be its duty:
(a)
To investigate and report on political, economic and military conditions;
(b)
To carry out policies authorized by the Peace Commission;
(c)
To assume such additional duties as may be agreed on between the British General commanding the British Military Mission and the Chief of this Mission.
4.
An allotment of $20,000 is hereby made available for the expenses of the Mission to be expended in the discretion of the Chief of the Mission.

I am [etc.]

Warwick Greene
  1. See memorandum dated June 30, p. 207.↩
  2. Ante, p. 202.↩
  3. During my absence Colonel Dawley is in charge of the Mission and at the present moment, I understand, is acting as military governor of Riga by request of General Gough. [Footnote in the original.]↩