861.00/4540a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
2051. For Secretary of State and McCormick.
The Associated Press on 19th published the following which you may wish to call to attention of Bakhmeteff:53
“Omsk, May 7th. The All-Russian Government, through Mr. Soukine, the Acting Foreign Minister, has requested Major General Graves, the American Commander in Siberia, not to send American troops further into the interior of Siberia than they are at present. The request was framed in the most friendly terms. The reason given was the desire to preserve the existing friendly relations with America, which, in view of the American Government’s undefined stand on Bolshevism, might otherwise be jeopardized.
The attitude of the Washington Government, Secretary Soukine explained, is being used by certain political groups to create discord among the Russian people, and thus weaken the Government. Up to this time the results of such efforts had been confined to the Far East and constitute an entirely local situation, which, as much as we deplore it, we cannot help. We did not wish the contagion to spread nearer the seat of the Government, and therefore made the request.
[Page 503]It ought to be said once more that every Russian is concerning himself with the question of the attitude of Americans toward Bolshevism, and it is the most democratic element of the people here who are opposed to the troops advancing further.
In this connection M. Soukine added, a certain Government is seeking to convince the Russians that Great Britain and the United States are so under the influence of Bolshevism that the wisest course for the Omsk Government would be to ally itself with an imperialistic nation which stands rock-like against Bolshevism.
He declared that the Government was not influenced by this in the face of continued assurances of sympathy and support from France and Great Britain.”
- Boris A. Bakhmeteff, Russian Ambassador to the United States, temporarily in Paris.↩