861.01/119: Telegram
The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Secretary of State
[Received August 20, 11:27 a.m.]
3771. Referring [to] Department’s 2434, June 26, 3 p.m.41 Following dated Reval August 11th received from Lieutenant Colonel Warwick Greene, whose commission is being withdrawn from the Baltic.
[“]It is highly important that United States maintain contact with this situation. Therefore I recommend that suggestion in former telegram from the Department of State be carried out and John A. Gade42 appointed special commissioner or diplomatic representative with headquarters at Reval. This is urgent and important in view both of local Esthonian situation and possible developments in northwestern Russian province. I am leaving Reval August 11th for Riga where I will wire you date my return Paris.”
The London Times of August 16th prints a circumstantial report according to which a new Russian Government under M. Stefan Lianozoff and including General Yudenitch has been set up at Reval and has already signed an agreement recognizing Esthonia on August 12th.
The policy of according Esthonia recognition and obtaining her collaboration in an action against Petrograd appears to have been strongly urged by the British Military Mission and is represented as being a first step towards the reconstruction of north Russia on a federative basis.
[Page 704]In view of the withdrawal of Colonel Greene’s commission it would seem urgent that American special commissioner be sent to Reval without delay.