File No. 861.00/1738
The Minister in the Netherlands (Garrett) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10.45 p.m.]
2463. Dutch press publishes Wolff telegram from Berlin dated May 4, containing Vice Chancellor’s statement before Reichstag committee regarding Ukrainia, of which following is summary:
We entered Ukraine at express wish of Ukrainian government to restore order, also to get food quickly as possible. General opinion at that time was that large quantities of foodstuffs were to be collected there and Ukrainians had undertaken to deliver by August 1 next at least million tons corn. But Rada has no real means available to constrain population to hand it over. We ourselves had to arrange for delivery of wheat according to treaty. That has been source of ill-feeling. The three events of chief interest were the order of Von Eichhorn to till fields, arrest of members of Rada, and replacing of Ukrainian government by government constructed on new basis. Reconstruction of government was purely Ukrainian affair which has nothing to do with first two events. Rada has recently been losing ground, though it was [has] to its credit creation of Ukrainian state and the bringing of peace. Stubborn adherence to communist theories which found no echo in peasant population seems chiefly to have brought about its end.
Order to till fields was issued because owing to threatening expropriations of land there was danger that great portion of ground would remain untilled and Ukraine deprived of possibility of fulfilling its obligations to us, thus interests of our people were at stake. This order was directed to German authorities, whilst its publication made it appear to be a German proclamation to people. German Chancellor has caused steps to be taken that military commander in chief shall act only hand in hand with Ambassador in all matters of political importance.
Paper then described arrest of Director Dobri by three men who said they were acting on behalf of committee to save Ukraine. This [Page 682] committee of irresponsibles wished to drive Germans out of country and meetings had taken place in house of War Minister in which killing of German officers was urged to be followed by that of soldiers. Of course Germans had to secure their army and as Ukrainian government did nothing Eichhorn took his own measures. Courts were established and arrests made. That arrests included members of Rada during sitting was due to regrettable mistake for of course immunity of Rada and its members is respected by German authorities. Eichhorn immediately remedied this mistake and German commander responsible was immediately removed from his post. After that the new government was called into existence by Ukrainians themselves and will not recognize communistic theories of property.