861.00/5835
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of War (Baker)
Sir: I have the honor to refer to your communication of November 25, 1919,97 enclosing copy of a telegram from Major General Graves, at Vladivostok, number 563, November 18,97 in which General Graves states that Colonel Krakovetsky, one of the three members of the Vladivostok Zemstvo directorate, together with five others, entered American headquarters building and are now claiming asylum.
Without in any way passing upon the question as to the right of the American military forces to furnish asylum to political refugees in such cases, it would seem that such action might easily be misconstrued by the contending factions to the embarrassment and disadvantage of the American command. It would therefore seem desirable for the Commander to cause these refugees to leave the quarters [Page 550] as promptly as possible before any question as to their surrender shall arise, having in mind, however, the general dictates of humanity.
I have [etc.]