861.00/5985: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Tenney) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 26, 1919, 8:23 a.m.]
[From Harris at] Irkutsk:
[“] 520, December 24, 4 p.m. Situation between Czechs and Semen-off acute. Semenoff had addressed telegram to Czechs demanding they desist from disorganizing railway traffic in the district between Krasnoyarsk and Bogotol by seizing locomotives and freight cars [Page 233] for the purpose furthering their rapid evacuation, otherwise he, Semenoff, will resist their passage through his territory by force. Whole situation surrounding relations between Czechs and Russians greatly aggravated by the fact that Czech soldiers stationed in the vicinity of Krasnoyarsk, and practically amounting to 30,000 men, have completely got out of control and their officers apparently now have little influence over them. They hold meetings and decide things for themselves and at the present moment they are fully determined upon rapid evacuation as they have heard that a large number of steamships have arrived at Vladivostok for them.
Foreign representatives in Irkutsk are doing everything in their power to get both Semenoff and Czech soldiers to be reasonable and not precipitate a conflict which may have very serious results. I have hopes that things will pass off smoothly.
There is no change in the situation. Harris.”