861.00/4748: Telegram
The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received June 25, 8:06 p.m.]
2744. Your 2314, June 16, 1 [3] p.m. Mr. McCormick and I are of the opinion that everything possible must be done to repatriate Czech troops in Siberia either through Russia or by sea. Russian Political Conference and Kramarz88 are very anxious to have the troops go overland not with the consent of the Bolsheviks, but by fighting their way out. Kramarz thinks that if they could be collected at Perm and told that by fighting their way out through [way to the] Viatka and Vologda they would be enabled to leave the country, their morale would be still sufficient to enable them to do so. Kramarz informs me that a Czech delegation composed of two politicians and some doctors have already left Paris for Siberia. They [Page 284] intend to repatriate by sea all invalid Czechs and are already negotiating for a Japanese ship for this purpose. As to the remainder, they intend to encourage and advise them to fight their way out as indicated above. If Admiral Koltchak and the Czech Commander consider this plan possible it would seem the quickest and easiest way of sending them home. Kramarz is particularly anxious to have the Czechs render this last service to Russia, thereby securing the gratitude of Russia, while if they leave by sea he fears that their previous services will be forgotten.
- Karel Kramář, President of the Czechoslovak Council of Ministers.↩