Office of the Historian

861.00/4740: Telegram

The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State

Paris, June 23, 1919—11 p.m.
[Received June 24, 8 a.m.]

2737 [2735]. Am[erican] mission’s 730, February 13 [14], 2 p.m. Field party for southern Russia arrived Constantinople March 1st in charge of Lieutenant Colonel Riggs. Here the party divided into three echelons which arrived at Odessa, Ekaterinodar and Tiflis respectively early in March.

1.
Odessa party under Major Steinberg reported concerning situation in Ukraine and Odessa setting forth unfortunate nature and effect of this evacuation. This sub-mission reported Petlura’s Ukrainian government as worthless.
2.
Ekaterinodar party uncertain [under] Captain Berry is still in Ekaterinodar. This detachment emphasizes fact that British aid is material and the presence of Allied missions practically saved the situation for Denikine’s Volunteer Army. It has constantly recommended the recognition of Denikine as commander-in-chief of all anti-Bolshevist forces in southern Russia and the Caucasus as well as political recognition of Kolchak.
3.
Tiflis party under B. B. Moore assisted by Lieutenant Norman Whitehouse is still in Tiflis. It has been in a delicate situation from the first owing to the anarchistic conditions prevalent in [Georgia], Moore has been held up and robbed by bandits and this has also happened to members of other Allied missions [at Tiflis]. Another difficulty has been the arrival of a large Italian mission and the rumors, last February [later] confirmed, of the ultimate withdrawal of the British in favor of the Italians.
4.
Lieutenant Colonel Riggs returned to Paris in May to report personally, having visited himself all three of these parties and recommended strongly the political recognition of Kolchak. He is now in Klagenfurt as explained in American Mission’s 2670, June 20, 7 p.m.15 but is expected shortly to return to Paris.
American Mission
  1. Not printed.↩