861.00/4122: Telegram
The Minister in China (Reinsch) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received March 21, 1919, 10:35 p.m.]
Following from [Harris at] Harbin.
“194, March 20, 11 a.m. Referring Government’s March 8th, 6 p.m.34 Consul Embry informs me as follows:
‘Have discussed matter frankly with Mr. Soukine35 who was equally frank in his replies. He states that actions of Ivanov well known to this Government and that they have been necessitated by the regrettable fact that while Bolsheviks in western Siberia with exception of certain small localities have been suppressed, such is far from being the case in eastern Siberia where even the Zemstvos are honeycombed with Bolsheviks. I am certain American Military Intelligence at Vladivostok can corroborate this statement for I have often heard Captain Schuyler make same remark. Mr. Soukine declared that Omsk Government is not in any manner whatsoever persecuting Zemstvos as such and that on the contrary it is following a definite policy of [encouragement?]. The good relations existing between Zemstvos in western Siberia and Omsk Government are best proof of this policy. To my question about alleged similar measures taken by the authorities here he declared that such was not the case. He stated that Bolshevism must be suppressed wherever it is found and believed that a true picture of conditions prevailing in Siberia and the attempts being made by Omsk Government to restore and maintain order be originally presented to State Department.’
Would respectfully call Department’s attention to fact that Kolchak has not the power to curb the actions of Ivanov by force any more [than] he can control the actions of Semenof. At a time when he is not [sic] exerting all his strength on the western front against the Bolsheviks he is not free to deal with the Cossacks leaders in the East as he would undoubtedly wish to. The actions of Ivanov do not meet with the approval of the Kolchak government. Harris.”