861.00/5625
The Russian Chargé (De Bach) to the
Chief of the Division of Russian Affairs (Poole)
Washington, October 13,
1919.
My Dear Mr. Poole: I take pleasure in sending you herewith
paraphrase of cable which I promised to transmit to you.
Believe me [etc.]
[Enclosure—Telegram—Paraphrase]
The Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Omsk Government to the Russian Embassy at Washington
Omsk, September 30,
1919.
There have again arisen difficulties at Vladivostok between our
authorities and the Allied Commanders—this time of a more serious
character. On September 26 the Inter-Allied Committee of Military
Commanders made upon General Rosanoff,
Commander of the troops of the Priamour Military District, an
offending demand that he withdraw the Russian troops from the
Fortress of Vladivostok by noon of September 29, threatening, in
case he should not comply with the demand, to employ military force.
The Supreme Governor ordered General Rozanoff
not to fulfill the demand and to guard the sovereignty and dignity
of Russia in the Far East, if necessary even by force.
In consequence thereof the Allied Commanders withdrew their demand
and the conflict has already assumed a peaceful character. Minor
incidents in Vladivostok during which one American and one Czech
soldier suffered brought about the mentioned demand of the Allied
Commanders. In each of these cases investigations had already been
ordered and the persons causing the disturbances turned over to
court martials. Therefore, there did not remain sufficient grounds
for issuing the above mentioned demand. Even had this reason been
sufficient, the action of the Allied representatives nevertheless
cannot be justified, being in direct violation of the solemn
assurances of the unviolability of Russia’s rights, which had been
given by the Powers at the moment of sending their troops. In this
sense we made a categoric protest to the commissaries here
definitely stating that it was not permissable to regard Vladivostok
as an ex-territorial region where the supreme rights had been
transferred to foreigners. General
Knox
[Page 531]
and General Janin, having learned of
the action of the local agents in the Far East, in the most
categoric form ordered their representatives there to protest
against the measure taken by the Allied Military Committee. The
American Consul General Harris was equally sincerely indignant by reason of
the action of the Allied Military Committee. Unfortunately, all the
features of the incident seemed to indicate that one of the chief
promoters of the affair was General
Graves, whose conduct recently has become entirely
incomprehensible. His remaining at Vladivostok will lead to
perpetual misunderstandings and to the growing of public discontent
with Americans.
