Paris Peace Conference 184.01502/60
The Chief of the Mission to the Baltic Provinces (Greene) to the Secretary-General of the Commission to Negotiate Peace (Grew)
Memorandum
There is attached hereto a memorandum on the Baltic States and Lithuania.21
This memorandum may be summarized as follows:
Conditions in the Baltic Provinces are critical, with the military situation paramount. Action on the part of the Allied and Associated Governments is urgently needed.
The Baltic Provinces and Lithuania have an importance out of all proportion to their size and population, due to their geographical position which makes them the western and at present most important key to the Russian problem.
These regions have only recently been recovered from Bolshevism, largely with the help of German troops. They have been saved from this danger, however, only to fall into another: German military occupation with German colonization and complete German dominance imminent.
Failure to take action on the part of the Allied and Associated Governments will abandon these regions either to Bolshevism or Germanism, whichever eventually proves strongest. If Bolshevism acquires them it will threaten Western Europe. The precipitate withdrawal of the German troops before other arrangements are made for the support of the local forces may bring about this result by endangering the internal security of these regions and by inviting a fresh Bolshevist aggression from Russia. On the other hand, the indefinite continuance of the German troops and of German support of the local troops will give Germany a preponderate influence in the future of Russia. Germany cannot be prevented from participating in the commercial regeneration of Russia, nor is it desirable to do so. But her military hold on the Baltic Provinces must be loosened.
Two alternate remedies are suggested, both based on a definite policy of hostility to Bolshevism, and on the establishment of a counterpoise to the Prussian forcible intrusion: [Page 683]
- (1)
- That Great Britain and the United States accept complete mandates for these regions. If this is not acceptable, then
- (2)
- That the local national forces (Esthonians, Letts, Lithuanians, Baits), together with Russian and foreign volunteers, be supported, and that a British Military Mission take charge of the military situation; that the United States supply food and cooperate with Great Britain in munitions and credits; that the Mission of the American Commission to Negotiate Peace be continued subordinated to the British in military, but not in political or economic matters.
- Not printed.↩