File No. 861.00/3303
The Consul General at Irkutsk (Harris) to the Secretary of State1
[Received November 29, 5.40 p.m.]
209. Situation to date. It appears that the Kolchak government is becoming firmer. This also opinion of French Ambassador Regnault here with whom I discussed situation to-day. Understand that post of Minister for Foreign Affairs is being held open for Sazonov. Kolchak expects to work in close harmony with General Denikin now operating on the lower Volga. Yesterday present manager of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked Sato, the Japanese diplomatic agent here, to request his Government [to cease] [Page 449] supporting Semenov. Sato replied that his Government might gradually withdraw such support, as the all-Russian provisional government in Omsk grew stronger. This is elegant [eloquent] proof of the active support still being given to Semenov, and at a time when such assistance arouses the suspicions of all Russians. Japanese General now in Omsk stated to Kolchak yesterday that Japan would be glad to send troops to Omsk. Kolchak replied that the presence of Japanese troops in western Siberia would be [resented] by Russians and that he felt compelled to decline the offer. Kolchak making telegraph communications with General Dutov at Orenburg, who has declared has no intention favor. Considerable misunderstanding exists at present between General Gaida and the Czech National Council in Ekaterinburg. Gaida apparently favors Kolchak while many of the soldiers state they will not fight for a dictator and they look to the National Council for their orders, rather than to Gaida. The Czech National Council is mostly Social Revolutionary composition. It is probable that the Czech attitude towards recent events, in connection with the all-Russian provisional government, will be one of neutrality. Sir Charles Eliot is returning Vladivostok to Omsk.
- Sent via the Legation in China.↩