Office of the Historian

File No. 861.00/1901

The Ambassador in Italy (Page) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]
Rome, May 28, 1918, 3 p.m.
[Received 8.53 p.m.]

1669. Following is substance of a paper sent me through David Lubin, by Russian General Miller, president, and Schmurlo, vice president, at Rome of the League for Regeneration of Russia in Union with her Allies. Giers, Russian Ambassador, informs me he is in full accord with it. The press beginning to take up necessity of rushing aid to Russia as only means to prevent Germany’s becoming absolute mistress there.

(1)
Allies cannot organize resistance against Germans in Russia without cooperation of Russians;
(2)
Bolshevik government is not representative of Russian people;
(3)
Bolsheviks and their government cannot be useful to Allies;
(4)
If Bolsheviks are recognized by Allies all sane elements in Russia will consider themselves abandoned by Allies;
(5)
If Allies desire regeneration of Russia on democratic constitutional basis, they must definitely first condemn Bolshevik rule;
(6)
Allies should help Russia form a strong central government around which all sane elements would group themselves against Bolsheviks and Germans;
(7)
Such a government could be formed either in or out of Russia—like government of Venizelos—and later transferred to Russia;
(8)
The league is an entirely non-partisan organization, looking only to salvation of Russia from Germans and Bolsheviks;
(9)
The league has full confidence in Russia and therefore addresses without hesitation the American people to take thenceforth upon itself charge of communicating with Russian leaders and of explaining to the Russian people the meaning and aims of Allied intervention;
(10)
League is now greatly hampered abroad in traveling and postal and telegraphic communications;
(11)
If the American Government would agree to main feature of the above program, league could enter into more detailed explanation of its plan of action.
Nelson Page