Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1919, Russia

861.00/4524: Telegram

The Minister in China (Reinsch) to the Acting Secretary of State

Peking, undated.
[Received May 18, 1919, 9:52 p.m.]

Following repeated from [Harris at] Chita.

“222. May 10, 4 p.m. I have the following occurrence to report. When I arrived at station Dauria on May 8 in the evening a band of Mongolian troops belonging to Semenoff, about five hundred in number, stopped the train and would not let it proceed further. A few field pieces were stationed on an adjacent elevation commanding the train. The commander of Semenoff’s troops stated that he had received a telegram from the Russian military commandant of Manchuria Station, which we had left shortly before, saying that I had refused to permit a customs inspection at that place and that he intended to make such an inspection then and there. I informed him that such an examination had been made at Manchuria with my full knowledge and consent and that the train had proceeded regularly thereafter. I informed him that he could make any further inspection he saw fit but should kindly withdraw his troops as the train was entirely unarmed and such a demonstration of force was unnecessary. The soldiers were withdrawn to the rear of the station. A freight car containing consular food supplies from our quartermaster in Vladivostok and two cars belonging to Mr. Tuck,⁴⁷ who is proceeding into Siberia under instructions from Ambassador Morris, were thus examined. A number of trunks belonging to consuls and Red Cross nurses in Siberia to which I had no keys were forced open. A car with supplies for General Knox in charge of a British lieutenant was similarly treated after having been inspected at Manchuria. Nothing was confiscated and we proceeded in direction of Chita after five hours’ delay.

While no incident occurred, yet the same is indicative of the highhanded way Semenoff is behaving in a section of the railway guarded by the Japanese. I respectfully point out to the Department that at a time when American troop and supply trains together with Red Cross and Y.M.C.A. trains are passing westward over this route, the chances of a clash are great unless the powers which have agreed to operate this railway take immediate steps to eliminate Semenoff and his band highway robbers. Semenoff’s acts of violence on the line extending from Chita to Manchuria Station are numerous and no railway can be operated under such circumstances. Harris.”

[Reinsch]

47. Charles H. Tuck, agricultural expert.