711.61/71: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Reval (Quarton)
Hand to the Soviet representative at Reval for communication to Tchitcherin the following:
“With respect to the telegram to President Coolidge from Tchitcherin of December 16th, the Secretary of State today made the following statement in reply: ‘There would seem to be at this time no reason for negotiations. The American Government, as the President said in his message to the Congress, is not proposing to barter away its principles. If the Soviet authorities are ready to restore the confiscated property of American citizens or make effective compensation, they can do so. If the Soviet authorities are ready to repeal their decree repudiating Russia’s obligations to this country and appropriately recognize them, they can do so. It requires no conference or negotiations to accomplish these results which can and should be achieved at Moscow as evidence of good faith. The American Government has not incurred liabilities to Russia or repudiated obligations. Most serious is the continued propaganda to overthrow the institutions of this country. This Government can enter into no negotiations until these efforts directed from Moscow are abandoned.’”