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

Paris Peace Conference 184.02202/5: Telegram

Mr. William C. Bullitt to the Commission to Negotiate Peace

Helsingfors, March 16, 1919, 5 p.m.
[Received in Paris March 17, 10:50 p.m.]

Bull 5. For the President, Secretary Lansing, and Colonel House only.

After daily conversations in Moscow with Tchitcherin and Litvinov, and conference with Lenine, I received from Tchitcherin on March 14th the statement which follows. He explained that the statement had been formally considered and adopted by the Executive Council of the Soviet Government and that the Soviet Government considered itself bound to accept the proposals contained therein, if they should be made by the Allied and Associated Governments on April 10th. I replied that although I had no authority to accept a formal note from the Soviet Government since my visit of inquiry was entirely informal and unofficial, nevertheless, I should be glad to carry the statement of the Soviet Government with me. It was understood that the statement should be regarded as absolutely secret, and that no publicity whatever should be given to it or to the fact of its existence.

Throughout our conversations, I found Lenine, Tchitcherin, and Litvinov full of a sense of Russia’s need for peace, and therefore, disposed to be most conciliatory; and I feel certain that details of their statement may be modified without it being unacceptable to them. For example, the clause under article 5, “and to their own nationals who have been or may be prosecuted for giving help to Soviet Russia”, is certainly not of any vital importance. On the other hand, as a result of a week of day and night discussions with the leaders of the Soviet Government, I am convinced that in the main their statement represents the minimum terms which the Soviet Government will accept.

The statement runs as follows:⁶⁸

“The Allied and Associated Governments to propose that hostilities shall cease on all fronts in the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland on (see footnote one^a) and that no new hostilities shall begin after this date, pending a conference to be held at (see footnote two^b) on (footnote three^c).

The duration of the armistice to be for two weeks, unless extended by mutual consent, and all parties to the armistice to undertake not to employ the period of the armistice to transfer troops and war material to the territory of the former Russian Empire.

The conference to discuss peace on the basis of the following principles, which shall not be subject to revision by the conference:

1. All existing de facto Governments which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland to remain in full control of the territories which they occupy at the moment when the armistice becomes effective, except insofar as the conference may agree upon the transfer of territories; until the peoples inhabiting the territories controlled by these de facto Governments shall themselves determine to change their Governments. The Russian Soviet Government, the other Soviet Governments [and all other Governments] which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire, the Allied and Associated Governments, and the other Governments which are operating against the Soviet Governments, including Finland, Poland, Galicia, Roumania, Armenia, Azerbaidjan and Afghanistan, to agree not to attempt to upset by force the existing de facto Governments which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire and the other governments signatory to this agreement (footnote four^d).

2. The economic blockade to be raised and trade relations between Soviet Russia and the Allied and Associated countries to be reestablished under conditions which will ensure that supplies from the Allied and Associated countries are made available on equal terms to all classes of the Russian people.

3. The Soviet Government[s] of Russia to have the right of unhindered transit on all railways and the use of all ports which belong to the former Russian Empire and to Finland and are necessary for the disembarkation and transportation of passengers and goods between their territories and the sea; detailed arrangements for the carrying out of this provision to be agreed upon at the conference.

4. The citizens of the Soviet Republics of Russia to have the right of free entry into the Allied and Associated countries as well as into all countries which have been formed on the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland; also the right of sojourn and of circulation and full security, provided they do not interfere in the domestic politics of those countries (footnote five^e).

Nationals of the Allied and Associated countries and of the other countries above named to have the right of free entry into the Soviet Republics of Russia; also the right of sojourn and of circulation and full security, provided they do not interfere in the domestic politics of the Soviet Republics.

The Allied and Associated Governments and other Governments whenever [which have been] set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland to have the right to send official representatives enjoying full liberty and immunity into the various Russian Soviet republics. The Soviet Governments of Russia to have the right to send official representatives enjoying full liberty and immunity into all the Allied and Associated countries and into the non-Soviet countries which have been formed on the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland.

5. The Soviet Governments, the other Governments which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland, to give a general amnesty to all political opponents, offenders and prisoners. The Allied and Associated Governments to give a general amnesty to all Russian political opponents, offenders, and prisoners, and to assist⁶⁹ their own nationals who have been or may be prosecuted for giving help to Soviet Russia. All Russians who have fought in, or otherwise aided the armed forces opposed to the Soviet Government[s], and those opposed to the other Governments which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland to be included in this amnesty.

All prisoners of war of non-Russian powers detained in Russia, likewise all nationals of those powers now in Russia, to be given full facilities for repatriation. The Russian prisoners of war in whatever foreign country they may be, likewise all Russian [nationals, including the Russian] soldiers and officers abroad and those serving in all foreign armies to be given full facilities for repatriation.

6. Immediately after the signing of this agreement, all troops of the Allied and Associated Governments and other non-Russian governments to be withdrawn from Russia and military assistance to cease to be given to anti-Soviet Governments which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire.

The Soviet Governments and the anti-Soviet Governments which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland to begin to reduce their armies simultaneously, and at the same rate, to a peace footing immediately after the signing of this agreement. The conference to determine the most effective and just method of inspecting and controlling this simultaneous demobilization, and also the withdrawal of the troops and the cessation of military assistance to the anti-Soviet Governments.

7. The Allied and Associated Governments, taking cognizance of the statement of the Soviet Government [of Russia], in its note of February 4th⁷⁰ in regard to its foreign debts, propose as an integral part of this agreement that the Soviet Governments and the other governments which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland shall recognize their responsibility for the financial obligations of the former Russian Empire, to foreign states parties to this agreement and to the nationals of such states. Detailed arrangements for the payment of these debts to be agreed upon at the conference, regard being had to the present financial position of Russia. The Russian gold seized by the Czecho-Slovaks in Kazan, or taken from Germany by the Allies, to be regarded as partial payment of the [portion of the] debt due from the Soviet Republics of Russia.

The Soviet Government of Russia undertakes to accept the foregoing proposal provided it is made not later than April 10th, 1919”.

It was understood, in regard to article number 2, that Allied and Associated countries should have the right to send inspectors into Soviet Russia to see to it that distribution of supplies is equitable.

It was specifically understood that the phrase in regard to “official representatives” in article number 4, does not include diplomatic representatives.

In regard to footnote two,⁷¹ the Soviet Government hopes that conference may be held in Norway. Its preferences thereafter are: 1st, some point on the frontier between Russia and Finland; 2d, on a large ocean liner anchored off Moon Island; 3d, on a large ocean liner anchored off the Aaland Islands; 4th, Prinkipos, to which the Soviet Government objects greatly.

Lenine, Tchitcherin, Litvinov and all other leaders of the Soviet Government with whom I talked expressed in the most straightforward, unequivocal manner the determination of the Soviet Government to pay its foreign debts, and I am convinced that there will be no dispute on this point.

There is no doubt whatever of the desire of the Soviet Government for a just and reasonable peace, or of the sincerity of this proposal, and I pray you will consider it with the deepest seriousness.

Bullitt

68. Bracketed corrections have been made upon comparison with the text handed William C. Bullitt in Moscow Mar. 14, 1919, by Chicherin and Litvinov (Paris Peace Conference 184.02202/11; printed in Hearings before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, S. Doc. 106, 66th Cong., 1st sess., pp. 1248–1250).
69. Footnote one: The date of the armistice to be set at least a week after the date when the Allied and Associated Governments make this proposal. [Footnote in the original.]
70. Footnote two: The Soviet Government greatly prefers that the conference should be held in a neutral country and also that either the radio, or direct telegraph wire to Moscow should be put at its disposal. [Footnote in the original.]
71. Footnote three: The Conference to begin not later than a week after the armistice takes effect, and the Soviet Government greatly prefers that the period between the date of the armistice and the first meeting of the conference should be only three days duration if possible. [Footnote in the original.]
72. Footnote four: The Allied and Associated Governments to undertake to see to it that the de facto government[s] of Germany do not attempt to upset by force the de facto governments of Russia. The de facto governments which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire to undertake not to attempt to upset by force the de facto governments of Germany. [Footnote in the original.]
73. Footnote five: It is considered essential by the Soviet Government that the Allied and Associated Governments should see to it that Poland and all neutral countries extend the same rights as the Allied and Associated countries. [Footnote in the original.]
69. The word “assist” does not appear in the text described in footnote 68.
70. Ante, p. 39.
71. Footnote b, p. 78.