binsk. All trains toward east and south of Ekaterinburg held up. Consulate General has had no telegrams from Siberia for four days. In Lomzha [ Moscow?] martial law has been declared; none but Bolshevik newspapers appeared this morning. These contain long and rather hysterical appeals to the people setting forth that, owing treachery bourgeoisie, bread famine imminent, that counter-revolutionary plotters have caused Czech outbreak and that counterrevolutionary plot has been discovered in Moscow. Have been no disturbances here but Commissariat Foreign Affairs informs Consul General that many arrests are being carried out. Commissariat expresses grave concern over Dutov's activities and reactionary movement in Don led by Krasnow.1 Evince fear Czechs will join these movements and remark informally that they have proof French have instigated all the trouble. This untrue, moreover Czechs have heretofore resolutely refused to mix in Russian internal affairs. French using best endeavors to adjust difficulty between Czechs and Soviet authority. POOLE [For an argument against military intervention in Russia, whether from the east or from the north, see letter from the Consul at Archangel to the Ambassador in Russia, June 1, 1918, post, page 477.] File No. 861.00/2375 The Consul General at Irkutsk (Harris) to the Secretary of State No. 6 IRKUTSK, June 2, 1918. SIR: Concerning the movement of the Czecho-Slovaks through Siberia to Vladivostok I have the honor to state: On May 28 I telegraphed in cipher to the American Consul in Vladivostok a report concerning the Czecho-Slovaks in Irkutsk. This was done because this Consulate has not yet been furnished with a cipher code which will enable me to communicate direct with the Department. At present it is also impossible to communicate with the Ambassador at Vologda for the reason that the line is interrupted. On the afternoon of May 26 a train arrived in Irkutsk carrying Czecho-Slovaks to Vladivostok. I may add here that according to a statement of the Central Siberian government here in Irkutsk 1Gen. P. N. Krasnov, who commanded the Cossack forces which defended the Provisional Government in the first days of the Bolshevik coup d'état in November 1917, later succeeded Kaledin as ataman of the Don Cossacks. 2 Telegrams narrating the events described below were received, with numerous omissions, via Vladivostok and Yokohama, June 5 (File No. 861.00/1960). One of them was also received, via Peking, July 4 (File No. 763.72/10601). instructions have been received from the Bolshevik government in Moscow to disarm all the Czecho-Slovak trains. An attempt was made to carry out this program and it resulted in a clash in which according to the official Czech report 8 were killed, 7 died of wounds, 36 wounded, and 5 wounded who were subjected afterwards to surgical amputations. There were about 600 Czechs engaged. The official report of the Red Guard losses has not been made public but I am certain that they were even heavier than those of the Czechs. However, it would appear that the Czechs finally gave up their arms voluntarily and further bloodshed was avoided, and this particular train shortly proceeded on its way. About 10 o'clock that night two further Czech trains arrived at a station called Innokentevskaya seven versts west of Irkutsk and directly opposite an Austro-German prison camp which is located about one and one-half miles across an open field. From the best information obtainable and supported by the personal investigations of the French Consul General and myself on the spot it would appear that these two trains were attacked about midnight by armed Austrian and German prisoners. There were about 1,000 Czechs engaged and they evidently made short work of the Austrians and Germans who made the attack. While the conflict was on, the Soviet sent two Commissars of Foreign Affairs to me urging my intervention in order to stop further bloodshed. I immediately called upon the French Consul General and we proceeded at daybreak under a flag of truce to the scene of action. The Czechs had captured 22 Austrians, 4 Germans, and 9 Russians who were members of the Red Guard. There were also a large number of Austrian and German wounded who had been removed to the camp. I at once called upon the Russian commandant of the prison camp in order to get all the facts from both sides. An Austrian officer was permitted to accompany me back to the Czech trains in order to establish the nationality of the prisoners. In addition to the prisoners above mentioned 5 had been killed and already buried before my arrival. These I had disinterred in order to establish their nationality. The Austrian officer identified these as being 4 Austrians and 1 German. I desire to state in this connection that the dead and all the prisoners, with the exception of two or three, were all in the uniforms of their respective nationalities. This seems to establish beyond doubt the question that a large number of the prisoners in Irkutsk are armed. From the best authority obtainable I have it that there are now 600 prisoners armed in this city and they compose a large part of the Red Guard. I have seen a few Austrian prisoners on the streets in Austrian uniforms bearing arms. Under the good offices of the French Consul General and myself we succeeded in disarming these two trains of Czechs, also a third train which had arrived in the meantime at another station a few versts farther west. The compact of disarmament agreed upon by the Czech commanders, the two Soviet Commissars, the French Consul General, and myself was as enclosed herewith. That was signed by the Czech commanders, the two Commissars for Foreign Affairs, the French Consul General, and myself. The disarmament of these three trains was carried out without a hitch in spite of the fact that the feeling was running high. A Commissar of the Soviet was placed in each train, and I instructed Consul Macgowan to accompany the whole lot to Vladivostok. I have just received a telegram at a station beyond Chita from Consul Jenkins who joined Consul Macgowan that these trains had already passed this station. It would appear therefore that the action taken by the French Consul General and myself here in Irkutsk is being justified, inasmuch as no further trouble has been reported to me concerning the Czech trains which are now proceeding eastward. I shall keep the Department promptly informed by cable of all new developments in this matter. I have [etc.] [Enclosure] ERNEST L. HARRIS Agreement between the Representatives of the Central Siberian Soviet and of the Czecho-Slovak Forces STATION VOENNY GORODOK, TRANS-BAIKAL RAILWAY, We undersigned: May 27, 1918. (1) Chairman [sic] of Russian authorities: Yansen, Geizman, Lytkin, Russkis; (2) Representatives of Czecho-Slovak Forces: Staff Captain Goblik, Doctor Tayer and Lieutenant Daksner; (3) Consul General of France, Mr. Bourgeois; officer of the French Army, Mr. Verge; [4] American Consul General E. L. Harris; American Consul D. B. Macgowan; and Interpreter Charles Bergen; Have accepted on all sides binding conditions: 1. In view of preventing any unnecessary misunderstandings and bloodshed, and for establishing mutual confidence with the Czecho-Slovak forces, the Russian authorities are bound to apply all physical possibilities in forwarding the trains with the Czecho-Slovak echelons towards the Far East without any impediment and with a possible quickness. In this view the Russian authorities are bound to appoint to each Czecho-Slovak echelon a commissioned officer (comissar) whose problem it will be to dissolve any misunderstandings and all sided questions that may arise, and also full cooperation in forwarding of persons put in his charge. 2. Counting the above-mentioned guarantees fully securing the freedom of movement, the Czecho-Slovaks from their side are bound without any retardation to give up their arms; bar their own, such as sabers, knives, poniards and revolvers. 3. The technical part of the disarmament is to be discussed separately by mutual agreement on both sides. 4. Wishing to finally guarantee the safety of the passage of the CzechoSlovak echelons to the Far East the Russian authorities are leaving them as guard 30 (thirty) rifles and 20 (twenty) shots of ammunition for each rifle. 5. Point of final disarmament will be at a town called Chita on the TransBaikal Railway. 6. Present agreement begins at once after affixing of the signatures of the agreeing sides. People's Commissary of Foreign Affairs: Y. D. YANSEN, I. M. GEIZMAN Siberian Military Commissary: A. RUSSKIS Staff Captain: GOBLIK DOCTOR TAYER LIEUTENANT PETER DAKSNER Consul General of France: BOURGEOIS French Officer: A. VERGE American Consul General: E. L. HARRIS American Consul: D. B. MACGOWAN Interpreter of the American Consulate General: CHARLES BERGEN File No. 861.00/2018 The Consul at Moscow (Poole) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] Moscow, June 2, 1918, 8 p. m. 592. My No. 588.1 Soviet authorities demanding complete disarmament Czecho-Slovaks. Trotsky even suggests the necessity of their disbanding. On the other hand, emissary arriving from Czechs informs Soviet authorities Czechs are thoroughly exasperated with their treatment by the Bolsheviks, that they evince a very warlike spirit and talk of forcing their way through to Vladivostok. Allied military missions here feel that if no support in sight, Czech leaders will be constrained to capitulate in order to prevent useless bloodshed but that if there is any prospect of Allied intervention they will hold out guarding bridges and strategic points and eventually forming advance guard of Allied advance. All observers agree that Czechs are splendid were they [well?] disciplined troops, violently against Germans. Total number about 40,000, of whom probably one-half now in western Siberia and on Penza-Samara-Chelyabinsk line. Bolsheviks announce they have retaken Penza and Syzran but east of Samara Czechs apparently in complete control. Communication with Siberia continues broken. 1 1 Ante, p. 183. 60806-32-18 POOLE File No. 861.00/1908 The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Russia (Francis) [Telegram] WASHINGTON, June 3, 1918, 1 p. m. 155. Your 206, May 26, 9 p. m. The attitude of the American Government is that it is dangerous for Chinese soil to be used as a base for hostile military operations by a faction of the Russian people. It is possible that such activities may unnecessarily involve China in an entanglement that will embarrass other powers at war with Germany and Austria. Minister Reinsch was so informed on May 6. Do not answer note. LANSING File No. 861.00/1965 The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] VOLOGDA, June 3, 1918, 7 p. m. 241. Am just leaving for Petrograd. Have arranged for forwarding cables. In my judgment Czecho-Slovaks should not be disarmed, consequently am instructing Consulate General to inform Soviet government that the Allies would consider disarmament and severe treatment as inspired by Germany or certainly by hostile sentiment toward the Allies. FRANCIS Consideration of Intervention by the American Government-Development of the Czecho-Slovaks' Conflict with Soviet Forces-Protest of the Allied and American Representatives against the Disarmament of the CzechoSlovaks-Good Offices of American Officials-Formation of the Temporary Siberian Government at Omsk File No. 861.00/1901 The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Italy (Page) [Telegram] WASHINGTON, June 4, 1918, 3 p. m. 1395. Your 1669, May 28, 3 p. m.2 Deeply interested in program of League for Regeneration of Russia with which this Government, in the main, agrees. Would be pleased to have the league communicate confidentially details of its plan of action, for consideration. LANSING 1 Ante, p. 172. 2 Ante, p. 175. |