Paris Peace Conference 184.02202/4: Telegram
The Consul at Helsingfors (Haynes) to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received in Paris March 12, 6:30 p.m.]
15. Pettit just arrived with the following message:
“Bull 4. For Secretary Lansing and Colonel House only.
Petrograd, March 10th. Arrived Petrograd Saturday afternoon. Arrangements perfected in Finland and here to cross boundary at will and for communication with you, via American Consul, Helsingfors. Journey easy. Reports of frightful conditions here ridiculously exaggerated. Discussion yesterday with Tchicherin and Litvinov. Leave today for Moscow for discussion with Lenine. Both Tchicherin and Litvinov, speaking with authority, stated that the Soviet Government is most favorably disposed towards the cessation of hostilities and a peace conference, but pointed out the difficulty which may arise in controlling the various forces now operating against the Soviet Government and the necessity of making it certain that the period of the conference will not be employed to increase the forces against the Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Lettonian, and Esthonian Soviet Governments.
Tchicherin and Litvinov express full confidence in the good will of the American Government but have the greatest distrust of the French Government and fear that it will employ the period of the armistice to send large supplies to anti-Bolshevik armies and to raise forces to operate against the various Soviet Governments. Incidentally, Tchicherin and Litvinov state positively that in principle the Soviet Government is willing to pay its foreign debt; the only [Page 77] question being how to meet immediate payments because of the present difficult financial position of the Government.
Am assured that after conversation in Moscow I shall be able to come out to Helsingfors and cable you by Thursday or Friday of this week an exact detailed statement of the position of the Soviet Government on all points.
Suspend judgment on any action until then. I am certain from conversation already held that the Soviet Government is disposed to be reasonable and that I shall have a communication of the utmost importance to transmit. Bullitt.”