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861.00/5860: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Wallace) to the Secretary of State

PARIS, December 9, 1919, 11 p.m.

[Received December 10, 8:56 p.m.] 1719. Your 3978, December 5th.34 We have no information about this matter. Present situation repatriation friendly troops from Siberia is set forth in following letter sent with Rathbone's approval to the British representative McFadyean 35 dated November 8, 1919.

"I understood from our conversation today that you are about to represent your Government in the financial arrangements relative to the repatriation of the friendly troops from Siberia. If I am mistaken in this understanding, can I request you to be good enough to have this letter forwarded very promptly to the proper agent of your Government for his consideration.

The situation_regarding the friendly troops in Siberia is the following: the Supreme Council at its meeting about October 1st passed a resolution providing that the repatriation of CzechoSlovakian, Polish, Yugo-Slavic and Roumanian contingents at present in Siberia, should be repatriated [sic] before the enemy prisoners of war now in that same territory. The Supreme Council also gave its approval to the immediate repatriation of these friendly troops. From my information it appears that the strength of the various contingents are approximately the following, viz: CzechoSlovaks 54,000, Poles 12,000, Yugo-Slavs 4,000, Roumanians 2,000, total 72,000.

Our understanding of the British position in this matter is that you are under obligations to effect the repatriation of the CzechoSlovakian contingent but that your Government does not consider itself obligated in any way to the repatriation of the other contingents. This was my understanding from various conversations with Colonel Kisch but so as to give us a solid basis for these negotiations, I request that you ask Colonel Kisch to confirm this. The French position is that they claim that they have borne all expense of the maintenance of these friendly troops in Siberia since their organization and that on this account they consider their financial responsibility in the premises terminates upon the departure from Siberian ports of embarkation of these contingents and they claim that they are not therefore obligated in any way to provide credits or transportation to European ports. The Italian and Japanese positions are not clear but it is presumed that no help will be forthcoming from these quarters.

Our position is that we desire to help in the present situation and that based on this desire alone we are willing to share in the expense. The question of repatriation of these troops from Siberia has been brought to a head by representations on the part of the Czecho

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Slovakian Government that further retention of their contingents in Siberia might lead to serious internal results in Czecho-Slovakia. Our feeling on the other hand is that the same difficulties would present themselves in Poland, Yugo-Slavia and Roumania were the Principal Allied and Associated Powers to give consideration alone to the Czecho-Slovakian representation and we therefore are of the opinion that the repatriation of all friendly troops from Siberia should be considered at one and the same time.

Subject to the foregoing with the authority of our Treasury Department I made the following proposal to Colonel Kisch viz.: that Great Britain and America agree to the repatriation by each of their governments of 50 per cent of the entire contingent of 72,000 troops, or in other words that if the British Government will undertake the repatriation of 36,000 we in turn will undertake the repatriation of an equal number.

The foregoing proposal was made subject to the following reservations, viz.: that the American Treasury is not in a position to make advance to the governments concerned other than Czecho-Slovakia, though some small amounts may be available for use for Servia and possibly Roumania from advances heretofore made for relief purposes and not fully expended. Therefore in payment of the expenses of the repatriation of these troops the United States Treasury would have to look exclusively to funds provided by the credit to Czecho-Slovakia and the small cash balances available to Servia and Roumania. understand that your Treasury has not the same legal restrictions as our Treasury in these particulars.

I

As the strength of the Czecho-Slovak contingent exceeds by much more than one-half the strength of all the contingents together, and in view of my understanding of your position with regard to the Czecho-Slovak contingent, it would appear that the proposed arrangement is entirely equitable and, if I may say so, from a purely financial point of view somewhat in your favor.

Colonel Kisch informs me that he has been endeavoring to get a response from your government as to these proposals but without avail. In view of the urgency of the situation in Siberia could I venture to ask you to be so kind as to press for the earliest possible action on this proposal.

I do not believe your government will accept the French, Italian and Japanese positions and I am quite sure that our government's position is that they should carry their proper share in this burden. Could I hear from you as soon as possible?

36

Situation somewhat complicated by matter referred to in our R-93 36 but straightened out by your 3944, December 2nd, copy of which was furnished British. Copy of letter above quoted presented officially at Allied Repatriation meeting December 2nd and is therefore on record with all Principal Allied and Associated Governments. We are furnishing Czecho-Slovak, Polish and Servian Governments with copies for their information so they may be properly informed.

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As previously reported our whole policy has been directed with view to once and for all definitely settling financially responsibility for repatriation entire block friendly troops in Siberia. We have not agreed with British on any financial plan of piecemeal repatriation these troops, and we are opposed to any such arrangement . . .

Suggest Department furnish interested Embassies and Legations Washington with information our position and that copy be cabled by War Department to commander United States troops in Siberia. WALLACE

861.00/6005: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Wallace) to the Secretary of State

PARIS, December 27, 1919, 4 p.m.
[Received December 27, 3:35 p.m.]

1928. R-174 from Rathbone for Davis.

Further reference paragraph 6, Treasury Department's R-70 and State Department's 3857, November 22nd. Acting under authority contained in paragraph 6 to [of] Treasury Department's cable above referred to I made a concrete and definite proposal to British representative McFadyean under date of November 8th, complete text of which proposal was cabled Secretary of State by American Embassy, Paris, in its 1719 of December 9th. My proposal was drafted in accordance with your instructions with a view to covering once for all the financial program and financial responsibility for the repatriation of all friendly contingents now in Siberia by water from Asiatic ports to European ports.

I am just in receipt of the following letter dated December 22nd from British representative McFadyean as follows:

"I have now heard from the Treasury that they accept the offer contained in your letter of the 8th ultimo respecting the repatriation of troops from Siberia, the French being told at the same time that our acceptance is without prejudice to our contention that they should share the cost of our responsibility under it. I most certainly regret the unconscionable time it has taken to transmit an answer to your Government. We fully appreciate the spirit in which it was put forward."

We replied to British representative McFadyean on December 23rd as follows:

"I have your letter of December 22nd advising me that you have now heard from the British Treasury and that they accept offer contained in my letter to you of November 8th, 1919, respecting the repatriation of friendly troops from Siberia and that your Treasury has informed the French at the same time that your acceptance is without prejudice to our mutual contention that they should share with British the cost of our mutual responsibility under it. We are

directing a similar letter to the French supporting the British views, a copy of which is enclosed herewith. We have transmitted to our State and Treasury Departments by cable a complete copy of your letter of December 22nd, requesting that the necessary credits be immediately extended to Czecho-Slovakia for the repatriation on our account of the Czecho-Slovak contingents equaling 50 per cent of the total strength of the Czecho-Slovak, Polish, Yugo-Slav and Roumanian contingents available for repatriation in Siberia. In accordance with our last information from Washington, General Hines, Director of Transportation of United States War Department, will be in charge of the repatriation of our contingent and we have requested that he be instructed to dispatch forthwith the necessary shipping to handle the repatriation of our contingent."

I have furnished the French with copies of our reply of November 8th, McFadyean's letter, December 22d, and our letter to McFadyean, December 23d, above referred to, in which we support the British contention that the French should participate this movement and have requested advice as to extent of French participation. I will of course insist upon prorating as between ourselves and British any benefits evolving from French participation.

It will be noted in my letter to McFadyean of December 22nd [23d?] that I have specially reserved that if the total number of troops repatriated be less than 72,000 that our maximum advances extended to Czecho-Slovakia will only be based upon 50 per cent of the total repatriation valuations. I made this reservation as it occurred to me that due to rapid advances of Bolsheviks in Siberia that they may have perhaps captured large contingents of the friendly troops with the result that the total number now available for repatriation would be much less than 72,000.

As the financial negotiations have now been successfully completed I venture to hope that the Treasury Department will immediately arrange for the extension of the necessary credits on account of Czecho-Slovakia and that the State Department and General Hines of the War Department will be informed that there are no questions of a financial character which further prevent the United States Government despatching at once the necessary shipping to Vladivostok for the purpose of effecting without delay our share of this repatriation. From copies of reports furnished through French sources it is apparent that the situation Siberia is such as to necessitate the promptest work on the part of General Hines. In order that I may inform the representatives of the Associated Powers it is important that I be advised at the earliest possible moment the date on which our first ships will arrive at Vladivostok and the approximate number of Czecho-Slovakian troops we will be able to repatriate per month thereafter. Rathbone.

WALLACE

861.00/6005: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Wallace)

WASHINGTON, January 7, 1920, 7 p.m.

41. For Rathbone from Davis. Treasury R-148.

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Reference your R-174, December 27, and supplementing my R-141, paragraph three.

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General Hines advises under date January 3, that repairs on the two transports allotted for this movement, namely, the America and President Grant, will consume approximately fifteen days. If resurvey confirms this, these vessels will be unable to arrive Vladivostok before February 10, although every effort being made to expedite arrival at Vladivostok by working day and night on repairs. As soon as vessels sail from New York shall advise you definite date arrival first ship Vladivostok. Norman H. Davis, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

LANSING

Decision of the Principal Allied and Associated Powers to Support Admiral Kolchak

861.00/3551 : Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Commission to Negotiate Peace

WASHINGTON, January 2, 1919, 8 p.m.

72. Department transmits for comment a telegram number 260 dated December 27th transmitted from the American Consul at Omsk through the American Legation at Peking in a telegram of the same date reading as follows:

"Referring to Department's December 12, 6 P.M.40 Respectfully suggest to Department to carefully weigh and consider with Allies advisability of adopting similar plan towards present Omsk Provisional Government as apparently is now being persuaded [pursued] in Ukraine, merely as a general policy of lending friendly support and assistance to an authority which is attempting to restore law and order. Such action should not assume character of rebuilding [recognition?] or even presume such to be an eventual consideration. Such declaration on the part of Allies would tend to clear situation in Western Siberia. It would have good effect upon workmen, Siberian soldiers, Czech, Semenoff and Japanese generally. Such measure by Allies might be accompanied by statement that such declaration was inspired by desire to simply assist Omsk Provisional Government temporarily until such time as all Russia may become united under another central government in which the whole country is represented. Harris. Reinsch."

39

Supra.

40 Not printed.

POLK

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