861.24/174: Telegram
The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Secretary of State
[Received August 31, 3:34 a.m.]
3958. Department’s telegram 9058, August 25, to Am[erican] Embassy. Hoover states:
Steamship Redondo now arriving Reval for General Yudenitch’s adjutant [administration] with 5,000 tons flour. Also General Yudenitch has some 10,000 tons of flour and beans stored at Viborg and Narva which [altogether] will supply bread to his present army and civil population for next two or three months. He will however soon be out of bacon. We have no more money nor supplies and have been compelled withdraw our entire staff except children’s relief. It appears to our staff that General Yudenitch could at an early date take Petrograd in which event their supplies would last but a few days. My own view is that it is wholly illogical to support Kolchak and not to support Yudenitch with arms and supplies and that no greater relief of human misery could be undertaken than the occupation of Petrograd. Our very recent advices show that situation there is terrible beyond description and that population of city has decreased from 600,000 to 400,000 by starvation, execution and disease since June 1st. Hoover.