File No. 861.00/3347
The Consul General at Irkutsk (Harris) to the Secretary of State1
[Received December 5, 11.31 a.m.]
216. Situation to-day. Everything quiet throughout Siberia on the surface at least. Certain amount of tension however in anticipation of what may happen next. Czech Minister of War Stefanik and Pavlu, the president of Czech National Council, expected arrive Omsk to-day. There is no denying the fact that the Czech troops at the [front] are getting very restless and desire to leave Russia for Omsk [France?] and many are becoming persistent on going to Vladivostok in order to be transported by sea. It appears on good authority that the Czech fighting forces have been reduced from 49,000 to 25,000. It is expected that the presence of Stefanik will have a salutary effect upon the Czechs. It is possible also that Czechs may decide to take no further active part in warfare against Bolsheviks. The Russians are nervous on account of Czech attitude as they not only wish of [Czechs] to fight, but they wish the Allies to send troops to Russia in large numbers for same purpose. The Russian troops are very poorly equipped with clothing and ammunition. This one cause of friction between Russians and Czechs as Czechs [Page 452] apparently are better clothed. Unfortunately I have also found an undercurrent of opinion which is somewhat adverse to opinion [expediting?] of Red Cross and [relief trains?]. Many of the Russian officers seem to think that those trains tend to hinder movement their troops. Naturally this opinion not shared by the best government officials who mean well but are often powerless to enforce their orders. I have heard that most Russian army officers are indifferent to relief afforded to civil population and would be willing to let them starve if supplies intended for civilians could be requisitioned for benefit of army. In this respect our efforts to afford economic relief not fully appreciated as it is felt everything should go to the military organization.
I have been investigating lately the strength of Bolshevism in Siberia. In Omsk, with the present population approximately 300,000, there are probably 5 per cent Bolsheviks and extreme Social Revolutionists. In Chelyabinsk, a city now comprising 7,000 inhabitants, 10 per cent are Bolsheviks, as nearly as can be ascertained, although city only will contribute 2,000 soldiers to Red Army. The country districts about Chelyabinsk are without doubt Bolshevik. When the Czechs came to Chelyabinsk they dispersed an active organization of workmen which had a million [rubles] for propaganda. There is still a small organization there consisting of 50 mechanics but it is closely watched by Czechs. Some Bolshevism still exists in Novo Nikolaevsk. If Czech and Polish legions were removed it is generally believed Bolshevism would soon dominate district. If Russian army is left to itself it is thought there are enough Bolsheviks and near Bolsheviks in army to make it worthless as an instrumentality to crush out Bolshevism.
In Tomsk the situation has been uncertain. Before Vice Consul Hansen [arrived], whom I sent there recently to investigate, the Bolshevik insurgents lost 438 men in the uprising of November 2. The loss of the government troops amounted to 48 killed and twice that number wounded. There were two companies of the Siberian army implicated in the affair. At present the military appear to have situation well in hand, although Bolshevik element is far from being stamped out. In Ekaterinburg, out of population of 75,000, there are 5,000 real Bolsheviks and same number [Social Revolutionists?]. In case town should be taken by Red Army 50 per cent of population would pretend to be Bolsheviks and would actively support them. In Irkutsk has been less demonstration. Their active club harbors 200 members. In Krasnoyarsk Bolsheviks have been acted upon by strong measures, most of the leaders have been executed. I have no data on Bolsheviks east of Baikal for this report. Received conservative estimates of all consular officers in the [Page 453] field. From this it will be seen that the Bolsheviks even in Siberia are still a potent force, not so much by strength of numbers, than [as] by the potency of the weakness [sic] of the Russians who really seem to be powerless to oppose them.
- Sent via the Legation in China.↩