763.72119/7112: Telegram
The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Secretary of State
[Received October 2, 3 p.m.]
4464. The [Council] of the Heads of Delegations met Monday morning, September 29th.
. . . . . . .
The Council heard the comments of the Drafting Committee on the draft note to the neutrals in regard to the blockade of Soviet Russia. The Drafting Committee proposed in the third paragraph the addition of the words “in conformity with the measures contemplated by article 16 of the Covenant of the League of Nations”. This reference was suggested inasmuch as in article 16 a rupture of commercial and economic relations was provided for when war [was not to be] employed. Mr. Polk [did not see how] he could accept this suggestion nor could he accept the suggestion of a pacific blockade. He thought that the best plan would be to wait until after the winter and see how the situation was by that time. Mr. Seydoux read two communications from [the French] Legation at Stockholm from which it was evident that the Swedish Government not only considered that a blockade existed but that they had notified their own nationals that navigation was prohibited in the Gulf of Finland. Sir Eyre Crowe observed that these communications tended to show that the reply impending [of the Swedish Government] would be favorable. It was also suggested that a verbal communication should be made to the neutral governments to say that British and French warships would continue to act in respect to ships entering the Gulf of Finland as they had been acting up to the present. The Council approved this suggestion and also the following communication to be transmitted to the neutral governments in the name of the Allied and Associated Powers.
“The avowed hostility of the Bolsheviki toward all governments and the international program of revolution which they are spreading abroad constitute a grave danger for the national security of all the powers. Every increase of the strength of the Bolsheviki would [increase] the danger and would be contrary to the desire of all peoples who are seeking to reestablish peace and social order.
It is in this spirit that the Allied and Associated Governments after raising the blockade of Germany have not authorized their nationals to take commercial relations with Bolshevik Russia; these relations indeed could only be effected through the agency of the chiefs of the Bolshevik Government who disposing at their will of the products and resources which commercial liberty would bring them would thereby achieve a considerable increase of their strength and of the tyranny which they are exercising [over the Russian] population.
Under these conditions, the Allied and Associated Governments request the Government to be good enough to take immediately in agreement with them the measures indicated below to prevent its nationals from engaging in any commerce with Bolshevik Russia and to be sure that it will rigorously execute this policy.
- (a)
- The refusal of clearance papers to every ship going to Russian ports in the hands of Bolsheviki or coming from said ports.
- (b)
- Establishment of a similar measure for all merchandise destined to be sent to Bolshevik Russia by any other way.
- (c)
- Refusal of passports to all persons going to Bolshevik Russia or coming from it (except through understanding with the Allied and Associated Governments for special cases).
- (d)
- Disposition with a view of preventing banks from doing business with Bolshevik Russia.
- (e)
- As far as possible, refusal by each government to its own nationals of facilities of correspondence with Bolshevik Russia by post, telegraph, or radio.[”]
. . . . . . .