861.00/5507: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace

3608. Following telegrams From Harris at Omsk repeated for your information:

“No. 447, October 28, 4 p.m. Am informed that Kolchak has just recalled Rozanoff from Vladivostok to Omsk to explain himself. This probably means definite elimination of Rozanoff from Far East situation.”

“No. 449, October 28, 5 p.m. Soukine informs me that Omsk Government is carrying on unofficial negotiations with Czechs to return to front and save situation here. While nothing definite has been decided yet, there are large numbers of Czech soldiers willing to return.

I respectfully suggest that the Department use its influence, possibly with the Czech Government at Prague, in order to bring about this arrangement. It seems to me if Czechs were to do this their chances of returning home would be much earlier than by the sea route. With the assistance of a few thousand Czechs on this front the Bolsheviki can be definitely defeated.”

Lansing