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

861.48/916

The Russian Chargé (Ughet) to Mr. Basil Miles in Chargé of Russian Affairs, Division of Near Eastern Affairs, Department of State

Washington, July 31, 1919.

My Dear Mr. Miles: Referring to our conversation of this morning concerning the agreement made between the American Relief Administration in Paris and Lieutenant-General E. Hermonius, acting on behalf of the Provisional Government of Russia, headed by Admiral Kolchak, I beg to enclose herewith a copy of this agreement as well as a form of obligation³¹ to be issued by the Government of Russia as payment for all foodstuffs upon the rendering of a bill based on the statement of account by the American Relief Administration to the Provisional Government of Russia.

I beg to call your attention to Paragraph 4 of the Agreement which specifically mentions that the same Treasury notes would be given for all supplies purchased from the United States Army.

I shall deeply appreciate it if you will find it possible to send copy of the enclosed Agreement and Treasury note, to the Secretary of War in order to facilitate the obtaining of his consent to delivery out of the United States Army surplus stock of different kinds of supplies other than rifles as well as supplies from the Liquidating Committee of the United States Government in Paris on the outlined basis.

Believe me [etc.]

S. Ughet

[Enclosure]

Special Agreement between the American Relief Administration and the Provisional Government of Russia

Whereas, the Provisional Government of Russia, of which Admiral Koltchak is the head, has appealed to the United States, France, Great Britain and Italy for supplies and foodstuffs in order to prevent starvation among the Russian people and to assist the said Government in the maintenance of order and to stop the spread of anarchy, and

Whereas, it is the desire of the United States to assist in this matter by the supply of such foodstuffs as may be available, and the American Relief Administration has been appointed by the United States Government to undertake the administration of this matter, and

Whereas, the American Relief Administration has already furnished certain foodstuffs to the Civil Department of the North Western Army Corps Detachment for the people in the territory lying east of the Narova River and Lake Peipus, from the steamers “Lake Strabo” and “Lake Charlotteville”, and

Whereas, the American Relief Administration is now holding at points in the Gulf of Finland the cargoes of the “Lake Calvenia”, “Dio”, “Lake Traverse”, “Democracy” and “Chariot” and may subsequently ship additional foodstuffs,

Now, therefore, it is agreed between the aforesaid parties:

1. That the American Relief Administration will deliver to representatives of the Provisional Government of Russia, in particular to its representatives the Russian North-Western Army Corps Detachment, such portions of the cargoes of the “Lake Strabo”, “Lake Charlotteville”, “Lake Calvenia”, “Dio”, “Lake Traverse”, “Democracy” and “Chariot”, containing approximately 18.471 tons wheat flour, 58 tons cereal flour, 985 tons beans and peas, 1.501 tons bacon, 834 tons lard substitute and 1.548 tons condensed or evaporated milk as may be available from other relief and as have not already been delivered to the Russian North-Western Army Corps Detachment, and the Provisional Government of Russia agrees that it will pay for all of such foodstuffs delivered, including those which have already been delivered to the Russian North-Western Army Corps Detachment and volunteer Russian detachments at Libau or Riga, assuming any obligations that such detachments or its civil detachment may have given, and it agrees that it will further pay for any additional foodstuffs shipped to the Gulf of Finland, or to Libau or Riga for Russian volunteer detachments and delivered during the months of July, August, or September 1919 by the American Relief Administration.

2. The Provisional Government of Russia appoints the staff of the High Commander of the Russian North Western Army as its agent to accept delivery of all foodstuffs hereafter delivered under this contract. Delivery will be accepted on a c.i.f. basis or ex-warehouse at the option of the American Relief Administration at Viborg, Reval or Helsingfors, or if satisfactory to the staff of the High Commander of the Russian North Western Army at any other Baltic port. The provisional Government of Russia further authorizes the delivery of small quantities of foodstuffs required for the maintenance of the Russian volunteer detachment operating near Riga and will recognize their receipt as conclusive evidence of a delivery under this contract. The Provisional Government of Russia, or its representatives, will give a receipt for such foodstuffs or other supplies on the basis of the loading invoice presented by the American Relief Administration. The agents of the American Relief Administration will furnish the Provisional Government of Russia, or its representatives, with statements of account which shall be accepted by them as final and conclusive as to amount, value and delivery. The Provisional Government of Russia, or its representatives, will pay all expenses subsequent to delivery. The foodstuffs supplied will be delivered at cost, representing the purchase price in the United States plus all transportation and other charges, with a sufficient margin to protect the American Relief Administration against loss.

3. Payment for all foodstuffs delivered shall [be] by special Treasury note of the Provisional Government of Russia in the form attached to this agreement upon the rendering by the American Relief Administration to the Provisional Government of Russia of a bill based on the statements of account, referred to in paragraph 2. Such notes shall mature June 30, 1921, and shall stand on the same basis as to priority and security as notes given by said Government for advances for similar purposes made to such government by any of the Allied or Associated powers since November 11, 1918.

4. The Provisional Government of Russia agrees further that for all supplies purchased from the United States Army it will give to such Army notes of the same character as are given for foodstuffs under this contract. It agrees further that in case the American Relief Administration undertakes the transportation of these supplies from France to Russia the American Relief Administration’s bill for such transportation shall be included on the same basis as its bill for foodstuffs.

5. The distribution of the foodstuffs so delivered shall be carried out by the Provisional Government of Russia, or its representatives, subject to the general direction and approval of the American Relief Administration and in accord with the dictates of humanity. In case the Provisional Government of Russia should be unable to use such foodstuffs for the relief of the people for whom it is intended, and it should become necessary to re-sell such foodstuffs, they will re-sell only subject to the approval of the American Relief Administration, and the Provisional Government of Russia will turn over to the American Relief the proceeds of such re-sale, whether cash or obligations, and if such proceeds are accepted by the American Relief Administration the Provisional Government of Russia will be relieved from its obligation to the extent of such payment.

6. Inasmuch as this agreement is made solely for humanitarian purposes and by an organization which draws its support from private charity and government appropriations alike, it is not intended or considered by either party in any sense as a recognition by the United States Government of the Provisional Government of Russia.

In witness whereof the parties have hereunto set their hands this sixteenth day of July 1919.

Provisional Government of Russia
by

E. Hermonius

, Lieut. General R.A.
American Relief Administration
by

Herbert Hoover

31. Not printed.