861.00/6105a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Davis )
16. Repeat to Legations at Warsaw and Prague and Commissioner at Helsingfors:
“With respect to suggestions in certain quarters that the time has come to establish relations with the Russian Bolsheviki, it is the view of the Government of the United States that past experience has proved the futility of endeavoring to arrive at a satisfactory understanding with them. Their ultimate purposes are inimical to all established Governments and any seeming compromise which they may make with such Governments is vitiated by their avowed opportunism.
[Page 445]On the other hand it is possible that the Bolshevik group will never be forcibly ousted in Russia but will give way gradually to new leaders and thus evolve into a government with which it will be possible to deal. In this eventuality the utmost care will have to be exercised to determine the moment at which such an evolution is so far perfected that recognition or countenance by foreign powers of the resulting government will tend to hasten development along rational lines rather than retard it. It is believed that premature recognition would produce the latter effect by giving encouragement and support to extreme and uncompromising elements which had not yet been sloughed off. The Government of the United States is convinced that Lenin and his immediate disciples will never permanently forego the dream of world revolution or enter loyally into amicable relations with non-Bolshevik governments.
It is the belief of this Government that evolution of the kind suggested even if it has now begun has not yet progressed sufficiently to make it possible or desirable to endeavor to come to an understanding with those who remain in control of affairs at Moscow.”