File No. 861.00/1239
The Consul General at Moscow (Summers) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 2.]
Sir: I have the honor to forward to the Department of State the salient points of a number of reports that Consul Douglas Jenkins has made to this office from Kiev in regard to the situation in the Ukraine. A brief résumé of the more important statements will be attempted here.
[Page 658]The Ukrainian government, whose beginnings date back to the March revolution, has steadily gained strength. There is now a completely organized ministry. A small army has been formed by drawing soldiers of Ukrainian nationality from the Russian forces.
Kiev is an active political center. French, British, Belgian, and other Allied officers are there observing the situation.
It is reported that the Rada, or parliament, has been informed that Austria-Hungary has placed 3,000,000 rubles to its credit. The newspapers betray evidence of successful Austrian propaganda. There are pro-Austrian and pro-Entente groups in the government.
The Ukrainian army is said to number 50,000 to 75,000 and to be growing rapidly. The Minister of War has estimated that there will be 100,000 men organized on Ukrainian territory by January 1, this report having been dated December 22. Ukrainian soldiers under arms at the several fronts and in garrison at the beginning of the revolution could not have numbered less than 1,000,000 to 1,500,000. Unless there should be a change of heart on the part of Russian soldiers generally, Ukrainian troops can hardly be relied upon to continue the war, though French and British officers hope to have a sufficiently organized and numerous army within a few months to take the field against the Central powers in a purely defensive campaign. The French plan seems to be to combine this army, the Rumanian forces, 200,000 Polish troops, and 50,000 Bohemian troops. The calculation is not convincing. But morale and discipline may return in time.
The Kiev government is frankly socialistic. The Councils are still in existence but appear to be in accord with the Rada. Salutes are not exchanged between officers and men, and seldom between officers, though ill-feeling between men and officers is not reported.
On the other hand the Ukrainian Foot Guards, in process of organization, salute officers respectfully and carry themselves like soldiers.
In general Kiev shows more animation and a greater sense of security than Petrograd and Moscow, perhaps because the food situation is easier.
Dissension, jealousy, and distrust in the Ministry are undeniably in evidence.
There is trouble on account of shortage of currency, and Ukrainian paper money will be issued.
The opinion is expressed that the Ukrainians may be expected to furnish a point of rallying the forces of reorganization of Russia on a federal basis, while offering relative resistance to German and Austrian influence and trade. Like all Russians the Ukrainians are ready to welcome foreign interference, and noninterference on [Page 659] the part of the Entente powers would simply leave them at the mercy of the Central powers.
Reports brought from the northern and western fronts are that an average reduction of units at these fronts approaches 90 per cent, and that Germans were penetrating Russia for purposes of trade, offering hardware, notions, and a variety of other articles for fats and foodstuffs.
In a conversation had with Consul Jenkins Mr. Shulgin, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said that the Entente powers might reasonably expend money to counteract Austrian propaganda, but he did not favor the offer of financial assistance to his government. He urged caution in selecting agents of propaganda and disbursement, mentioning the president of the Rada as among those working for union with Austria. Kiev is full of Austrian secret agents, and the Entente should have its also.
The Ukrainian government’s peace declaration of December 8/211 and that of December 12/25,2 are given in translation. These declarations are thought to have exerted a marked influence on the peace negotiations.
The Secretary and Assistant Secretary for Agriculture have resigned, owing to difficulties in carrying out the proposed general land reform. Agrarian disorders are universal in the Ukraine, 250 complaints having been made in a single day by telegraph. As elsewhere in Russia the peasants are seizing private estates without waiting for the government to act. There is no prospect of agreement as to what is a proper limit of individual holdings, the wealthier peasants insisting on 40 dessiatines, or a bit over 100 acres. The land question is crucial.
Minister of War Petlyura has resigned, without giving reasons. He was regarded as pro-Entente. There is a feeling that a crisis is approaching, owing to Bolshevist aggression and to social unrest in the Ukraine. Railway communications are reported much interrupted.
General Tabouis, chief of the French military mission at Kiev, has been appointed commissioner to the Ukrainian government; he has been received formally by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs; he has notified the Consular Corps of his appointment, and the newspapers declare that this is recognition of the Ukrainian government by the French, but the French officers do not so understand it. General Tabouis’s Chief of Stuff expressed himself unfavorably about the new Minister of War, Mr. Porsh, and expressed the opinion that nothing in a military way could be expected from the Ukrainian army for six months or a year, if ever.
[Page 660]A commission to frame a land bill has been chosen. Conditions in the Ukrainian army are not much better than among Bolshevik troops. Of Ukrainian troops stationed in Kiev two thirds are said to have gone home for the holidays. Bolshevism seems to be growing in the Ukraine and in the ranks of Ukrainian troops.
Ukrainian currency has begun to appear in the same denominations as Russian, with text in Ukrainian, Russian, and Yiddish, it is said. “I have not seen these notes yet,” reported Mr. Jenkins on January 9.
In addition to the above-mentioned reports, there is forwarded herewith to the Department copy of a part of a letter from Mr. E. T. Heald, Y.M.C.A. secretary at Kiev, under date of December 5:1 Ukrainians, Russians, Poles, Czechs, and all others at Kiev seem to be agreed that order can be restored only by the Entente or the Central powers. The Ukrainian government impressed this observer as weak, compromised by its relations with the Bolsheviki and the Austrians, lacking dependable military force, and being a very artificial growth, without much popular support. But there is universal agreement that conditions changed radically after this letter was written.
I have [etc.]
- For the note which formed the major part of the declaration, see vol. i, p. 415.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Not found with the despatch.↩