111.70 M 13/1 a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Wallace)
9370. Communicate following to Admiral McCully on his arrival in Paris:
“You are designated a special agent of the Department of State and directed to proceed to the south of Russia with a view first to make observations and report to the Department of State upon political and economic conditions in the region which you visit and second to establish informal contact with General Denikin and his associates. You will be guided by your own judgment concerning the places which you will visit and the length of time which you will spend in each. Your mission is however a temporary one and in the absence of other instructions it is desired that you should not remain in southern Russia longer than is necessary to enable you to form a fair and accurate estimate of the situation and accomplish any particular business which the Department may from time to time entrust to you.
Your duties may include dealing with matters of much delicacy; in these matters, owing to the difficulties of communication, the Department will have to rely upon your own good judgment and discretion. The Department wishes to impress upon you however the fact that, while you are its special representative, you are accredited in no way to any Government of Russia nor are you charged with a particular diplomatic mission or clothed with authority to commit this Government in any way.
You have been shown cablegrams of the Department of State to the Ambassadors at London and Paris which have acquainted you with American policy with respect to Russia. The Department is solicitous that General Denikin and his associates and the people of southern Russia generally should be aware of the friendly attitude of this Government toward Russia as set forth in these telegrams.
It is to be noted that in the absence of legislation by Congress this Government has no funds or supplies available at this time for distribution in the region which you are to visit and there is at present no authority in law for the United States to extend loans or credits. The Department will be glad to have from you, however, reports as to the needs of the people of southern Russia and will use its best endeavors to further any practicable project which may be suggested for bettering their material or moral condition.
[Page 572]The Department desires particularly to have from you an estimate of the social and political character of the anti-Bolshevik movement headed by General Denikin, your estimate of General Denikin himself, of the measure of popular support or acquiescence which the movement appears to have and the likelihood in your view of its ever becoming a means by which orderly constitutional government may be established in Russia. Information on these points is of especial importance since the defeat of Admiral Kolchak in Siberia and the shifting of the center of gravity of the non-Bolshevik elements from that region to the south of Russia.
At the same time it is desired that you study the prevalence of Bolshevism in the regions which you visit and the probability from the political and military points of view of these regions coming again under the control of the Bolsheviki. You will also report such observations as you may be able to make from anti-Bolshevik territory of the development of the Bolshevik movement in Central Russia, its present strength, and the relative probability of a violent change or a more or less gradual evolution into a government with which it would be possible for the United States to deal.
The Department has despatched Consul General Evan Young to Odessa where he will open a Consulate General. He is accompanied by a subordinate staff and is authorized to station Vice Consuls in his discretion at other South Russian cities such as Rostov. An American Vice Consul Alfred Burri is already in Southern Russia. He will be subordinate to Young upon the latter’s arrival. There is an American Consulate at Tiflis. The War Department has sent two military observers to South Russia, Colonels Castle and Cox. It is expected that you will cooperate with Consul General Young in every possible way and consult with him especially as to measures which may be adopted with a view to encouraging private commercial enterprise in the Black Sea region especially as a means of reviving normal economic life and thereby bringing about political stability.
In view of the need of the Department for reports on the south Russian situation at the earliest possible moment, you will report the substance of your findings by cable, reserving for mail despatches such amplifications of your telegraphic reports as you may deem useful.
Your telegrams should be addressed to the Secretary of State and should be routed as directly as is practicable. It may be necessary to have them relayed at Constantinople.
The Department is willing that you should employ couriers to the extent deemed necessary, having regard to economy, between your headquarters and Constantinople and other points.
Please acknowledge receipt of these instructions by cable.”
Give McCully copy of the codes and show him how to use them.
If it is possible make arrangements for McCully and Sazonov3 to meet. Doubtless Sazonov will inform Denikin about McCully’s [Page 573] coming. The general nature of McCully’s mission as given in paragraphs one and two of the above instructions should be explained to Sazonov so that he will understand it clearly.4