Postponed departure from [for] Petrograd until to-morrow. Soviet government possibly will collapse suddenly and although opposition thereto is quite general it has no organization which unites all its many factions and this condition explains why Bolsheviks have so long survived. Approaching collapse attributed more to inherent weakness of Soviet government and to general dissatisfaction of people than to strength of any organized opposition thereto. My contemplated Petrograd and Moscow visits are mainly for the purpose of ascertaining what organized opposition exists and plans thereof. FRANCIS File No. 861.00/1945 The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] VOLOGDA, June 3, 1918, 5 p. m. 239. Have been considering the situation that will confront us when Bolshevik government collapses which may possibly be soon and broached the subject to my colleagues yesterday with suggestion that our respective governments be prepared to instruct Allied Ambassadors here to support whatever government should be formulated by Constituent Assembly fairly elected. Such instructions might be sent before downfall of Soviet government but held until collapse occurs when they should be immediately promulgated before another government formed as postponing action until thereafter would subject Allies to the same situation that has existed for seven months past. French Ambassador, Italian Ambassador agreed, former suggested that in the aforesaid instructions should be condition that all parties should be represented in new government. I demurred advocating no conditions whatever as I thought such position more tenable and furthermore there are numerous parties in Russia, even five or more socialistic party organizations, in addition to formidable international and anarchistic parties. Russian people require guidance, are helpless without it; we are decidedly most popular of Allies not only because Russians are satisfied we have no territorial designs but because of President Wilson's eloquent, impressive utterances of sympathy and interest and probably because American Embassy was first to recognize the Republic and is only one that never left Russia nor planned to do so. Following instructions respectfully outlined: In event present Soviet government abdicates or is deposed, you are instructed to announce to the Russian people, whom this Gov ernment has never ceased to consider its ally against the Central Empires, that the Government of the United States will recognize that government which will be adopted by the people through their representatives chosen at an election duly called and held under safeguards which will insure an honest expression of the popular will. Such an election could be held within thirty days, I believe, by a provisional government composed of unselfish patriotic Russians; experience of the last fifteen months has equipped Russia for prompt and emphatic expression of popular will and any government so organized, and promised united support of Allies, would be immediately accepted and valiantly sustained by great majority of Russians. Has the Department any other suggestions for deliverance from this impending dilemma? Please answer. File No. 881.00/1933 FRANCIS The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Stovall) [Telegram] WASHINGTON, June 4, 1918, 4 p. m. 2030. Your 3535, June 1, 11 a. m. Department prefers that you have no relations whatever with Bolshevik representatives. This Government does not recognize the Bolshevik authorities, either de facto or de jure. PHILLIPS Temporary Return of the American Ambassador to Petrograd-Nomination of a Soviet Ambassador to the United States-Development of RussoGerman Disputes-Attitude of Bolshevik and Anti-Bolshevik Elements toward German and Allied Intervention File No. 701.6111/221 The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] PETROGRAD, June 5, 1918, 5 p. m. 1. Following just received via Vologda, addressed American Ambassador: Russian government nominates as plenipotentiary representative in Washington Citizen Litvinov now same in Paris [London]. Hopes friendship your Government will not object our purpose closer relations, intimate friendship between our peoples. Commissary Foreign Affairs, Chicherin. See my telegram of June 5, 6 p. m. 20856-31-40 FRANCIS File No. 861.00/1959 The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] PETROGRAD, June 5, 1918, 6 p. m. 2. Arrived Petrograd 6 last evening, immediately took down Norwegian flag replacing with ours which now floating. Petrograd dead, city famine stricken. Daily bread allowance equivalent to 1% ounces, quality horrible, dear at any price; potatoes of pound per week. Philip bought from peasant in Vologda 3 poods of flour at Rs. 250 a pood, equivalent about $125 a barrel, for our own use, which Petrograd dealer attempted to purchase unsuccessfully at Rs. 600 per pood, or about $250 a barrel. Reported babies dying hundred per week, people all looking underfed. Many arrests Moscow, Kishkin among them; railroad engineer here on my request; says hospital manager reported hundred bodies brought his hospital killed and faces mutilated to destroy identity but nothing thereof in newspapers. Engineer has served six weeks as manager transportation with approval of engineers' society to which appointment was submitted when tendered and accepted through honest desire to serve Russia; he has, however, resigned because says impossible to operate railroads under Soviet government which absolutely dominated by demagogues, says in fact no government but dictatorship of Lenin, and all patriotic people, including uneducated who think, are opposed to Bolsheviks and will supplant present government by one dominated by Germany if Allies do not immediately intervene. Engineer says government refuses to accept his resignation and has granted him two months' leave but he will not return to its service. I am holding him until arrival of Emerson from whom have heard nothing since left Vladivostok. He is probably detained by Soviet troops who are reported controlling Siberian Railway east of Perm. I suggest delaying reply to request in my No. 1, June 5, 5 p. m., especially if inclined to make favorable reply which I do not anticipate. FRANCIS File No. 861.00/2020 The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] PETROGRAD, June 6, 1918, 4 p. m. [Received June 14, 6.16 a. m.] 5. I have just received astounding telegram from Vologda saying French Embassy been informed that British admiral joined by American and French naval officers at Murman together with British general [said] to have stated that recognition of Soviet government only solution of present Russian situation. Such step in my judgment would be tragic mistake. . . [a high Soviet official] called yesterday, says Soviet government admits, "We are a corpse but no one has the courage to bury us," which describes situation. Soviet government is disintegrating rapidly but making strenuous effort to secure Allied support, effect of which would be deliverance of Russia into German embrace. Naval officers at Murman unacquainted with internal conditions are [unwarranted] in giving subsequent [above-mentioned] advice. File No. 861.00/2161 FRANCIS The Consul at Moscow (Poole) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] Moscow, June 7, 1918. 612. Official Soviet gazette for June 7 prints statement made to Kühlmann by Russian representative, Berlin, May 28 in which the following instances of continued German military activity [are cited: (1)] Concentration of forces on the Don front, apparently for advance on Novorossiisk, fighting at Bataisk, German submarines blockading Novorossiisk's harbor. (2) Continued advance toward Voronezh government in region of Valuiki. (3) Raids by German troops into Russian territory on north- (4) Threats of advance in Vitebsk government. White Sea causing coastal inhabitants to die of hunger Same paper prints following: People's Commissariat Foreign Affairs has received information that according to statement of German Government, Russian commercial navigation will enjoy absolute freedom in event of departure of English and their allies from Murmansk coast and adjoining waters. Also prints protest by Joffe to Kühlmann May 28 against insistence by Ukrainian peace delegation on demarcation line running near Kursk and Voronezh and will [omission] eastward on the Don front. Kühlmann asked to point out to Ukrainian government impossibility of its demands. Gazette for June 4 prints decree abolishing diplomatic rank. On principle of equality of large and small states all Russian diplomatic agents abroad will be called simply "Plenipotentiary Representative of Russian Federative Soviet Republic" and diplomatic agents of foreign countries accredited to Russia will likewise be considered as of one rank. Chaprashnikov, Bulgarian representative near Soviet government, arrived Moscow June 2. POOLE File No. 861.00/2070 The Consul at Moscow (Poole) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] Moscow, June 8, 1918, 11 p. m. 616. Recognizing the critical character of the present food shortage Lenin is desperately urging his supporters to hold out through the next two months for the procuring of a more certain tenure of power as soon as the crops are in. Speaking this week at an extraordinary third session of the Central Executive Committee, called especially to discuss food question, he launched a niovement for sending units of workingmen into the villages to seize grain. He says there is plenty of food in the country but it is hoarded by the rich villagers. This is an exaggeration for political purposes. The rich villager hardly exists in reality. A great many peasants have some grain and a few have none at all. The attempt to distinguish rich and poor, identifying the former with the small bourgeois, is intended to conceal fact which the food crisis is making daily more apparent, namely that the interests of the workingmen and the peasants are opposed. The so-called government of workingmen and peasants now finds itself under the difficult necessity of appeasing hungry workingmen on the one side and on the other side of alienating what support remains to them among the peasants by an attempted forcible seizure of grain. The situation is aggravated by the conflict with the commissariat [Czecho-Slovaks?] which has isolated central Russia from the grain stores of western Siberia and the Ufa and adjacent governments, and has stopped through navigation on the [Volga?]. In these circumstances the Bolshevik government could hardly be expected to survive, were it not that the disorganization of the country has so far assumed the proportions |