File No. 861.00/1768
The Consul at Harbin (Moser) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 9, 10.18 a.m.]
Referring your telegram to Legation, Peking. Am instructed by that Legation to investigate Horvat movement and to make a report Department direct.
[Page 156]Horvat has abandoned for present plan of organizing government for Siberia, but while in Peking secured the consent of Chinese Government that the Society of Chinese Eastern Railway, as formed by treaty of September 8, 1898 [1896], should sever its connection with the Russian Government and, on April 27, reorganized board of directors for Chinese Eastern Railway Society, consisting Chinese and Russians, independent of any declared Russian government. Following is personnel of new board of directors: [Kuo Hsiang-hsi]. civil governor, Kirin Province, president; Horvat, vice president and managing director; Admiral Kolchak, supervisor of military organization in railway zone; Ustrugov, superintendent of traffic and technical equipment; Putilov and [name garbled], directors Russian Asiatic Bank, financial advisers; Konovalov, of Chinese Maritime Customs, director of relations with Chinese Government; Yeo Shihching, director of Chinese affairs; [name garbled], present chief commercial department, director of commerce.
Object of new organization is to administer Chinese Eastern Railway zone independently of any government except Chinese until complete restoration of order in Russia, Organization claims no intention to usurp government functions out of railway zone and in regions adjacent where it may acquire control of railways in order to facilitate transportation. Does not claim as an organization to support Semenov movement, but principal Russian individuals consider themselves unofficially controlling his movements in Siberian provinces adjacent to Chinese Eastern Railway zone. At present time these are receiving for the assistance of Semenov money from both British and French Governments and arms from Japan and also receiving from peasants’ cooperative societies in Siberia. They state that if the several governments withdraw their support from Semenov, they will continue military activity in guarding railways and restoring order with contributions from peasant societies until exhausted. Do not rely upon support from United States but still hope for it and feel that if other Allies withdraw, they will be obliged to accept Japan’s sole support and accede to her conditions.
Semenov now within forty miles of Karymskaya, junction of Amur and Trans-Baikal Railways; has again requested Chinese Eastern Railway to take charge as far as his advance and place American engineers on the railway lines. On May 4, Semenov, General Shilnikov and [omission] Trans-Baikal commissioner under Kerensky, declared themselves temporary Trans-Baikal government until proper government could be established. Semenov has also requested raising of embargo to all territory in rear of his advance.
Have notified Horvat and other pretenders to recognition for Siberian government of our neutrality. Copies of this and all other [Page 157] telegrams invariably sent to the Legation, Peking, but since Soviet government has prohibited cipher messages to foreign representatives in Russia, consider it inadvisable to transmit copies to Ambassador, Vologda.