861.00/5257: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul General at Irkutsk (Harris), temporarily at Omsk
Department has cable from headquarters Vladivostok transmitting message from Slaughter16 saying Kolchak forces making no progress except possibly third army; that British officers just back from front report bad morale and many desertions. These reports in direct conflict with your 393 September 20 noon, 381 September 11, 2 P.M. and 388 September 19, 9 P.M.17 Please confer with Slaughter and advise result. This Government has not modified its policy to assist Russia. Negotiations for supplies for Kolchak forces have made substantial and favorable progress towards early realization.
Upon receipt of this cable please immediately advise Department fully and authoritatively of actual situation of Kolchak forces and of progress of Kolchak measures for Zemstvo Council.
Your September 21st, 4 P.M.18 reporting extraordinary action of General Graves received. You will be advised promptly of action taken which is now under consideration.
As further illustration of reports Department is receiving from other sources press here this morning quotes Russian wireless reporting that Kolchak has notified Allies he has resigned in favor of General Denikine and that new government east of Lake Baikal is being formed under General Semenoff. Department has also instructed Tokio to repeat cable from Chargé d’Affaires there quoting character of reports current in Japan. It is evident that propaganda is rife. For example Department has no knowledge of Statements of Ambassador Morris to which you refer19 and which it therefore cannot regard as true, especially in view of opinions he has expressed in the past.
- Maj. Homer H. Slaughter, U.S.A., stationed at Omsk.↩
- Transmitted in telegrams from the Chargé in China, supra.↩
- Transmitted in telegram of Sept. 22 from the Chargé in China, p. 516.↩
- See telegram no. 383 transmitted in undated telegram from the Chargé in China received Sept. 15, 12:30 p.m., p. 424.↩