861.01/43: Telegram
The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received May 3, 1919, 11 a.m.]
1939. From Sta[tion] nav[al], Constantinople.
“May 2, noon. From Jenkins:
‘The following is translation of a declaration of the Volunteer Army published April 27th11 in “Black Sea Newspaper”, Nova Rossick [Novorossiisk]:
The High Command in southern Russia addresses itself to the president [representatives] of the Allied Powers through their official representations [representatives] with the following declaration:
I request you to inform your Government of the ends purposed by the High Command of the Armed Forces of Southern Russia in armed strife with the Soviet power and in progress [process] of creating a government.
- 1.
- The overthrow of the Bolshevik anarchy and the restoration of law and order in the country.
- 2.
- The reconstitution of a mighty, united and indivisible Russia.
- 3.
- The convocation of the people’s assembly on the basis of universal suffrage.
- 4.
- The decentralization of power allowing regional autonomy and the greatest amount of local self-government.
- 5.
- Guarantee of full civil and religious liberty.
- 6.
- The immediate enactment of land reforms to satisfy the land needs of the laboring population.
- 7.
- The immediate enactment of labor laws protecting the working classes from the exploitation of their masters and capital.
Signed, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces in Southern Russia, General Denikin. Chairman of the Special Meeting, General Dragomiroff.[’]
Repeat to Department. Respectfully recommend wide publicity.
Ravndal, American Consul General”
- Dated Apr. 10/23 in the Apr. 14/27 issue of the Chernomorskaya Gazeta.↩