861.51/634
The British Chargé (Lindsay) to the Acting Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Polk: On March 28th Mr. Barclay addressed a semi-official note to you37 urging the United States Government, in accordance with instructions which he had received from the Foreign Office, to contribute a sum of 2,500,000 roubles per month towards the support of the Provisional Government in Northern Russia.
From a telegram received from Lord Curzon I understand that the Archangel Government are now in urgent need of financial assistance. Failing this they must either have recourse to methods which will seriously damage their financial position, at present fairly satisfactory; or fail to pay their workmen, which would cause strikes and mutinies and thereby destroy the efficacy and possibly the safety of the Allied Expeditionary Force at Archangel.
His Majesty’s Government and the French Government have advanced 2,500,000 roubles each during each of the first six months of this year and they are considering a further subsidy. It is, however, urgently desirable that the United States and Italian Governments should be induced to make a similar contribution and I have the honour to beg that you will cause this matter to be carefully considered and to express the hope that you may be able in a short time to inform me that the United States Government agree to this proposal.
Believe me [etc.]