861.51/638 a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of
State to the Commission to Negotiate
Peace
Washington, June 20,
1919, 8 p.m.
2363. For the Secretary of State:
An Act to amend the Liberty Bond Acts and the War Finance Corporation Act
and for other purposes, approved March 3, 1919 provides, as you are
aware, in section 7, that until the expiration of eighteen months after
the termination of the war between the United States and Germany, the
Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to establish credits with the
United States for foreign governments engaged in war with the enemies of
the United States, to purchase available property, owned directly or
indirectly by the United States.
Does this offer any prospect of extending credit to Kolchak Government which repudiated
treaty of Brest-Litovsk and now holds German and Austrian soldiers as
prisoners of war? I understand the Omsk Government hopes to purchase in
the United States materials, other than munitions, amounting to
$164,000,000. I also have a proposal from Mr.
Vauclain10 to devise means to turn over to
Russia 200 locomotives taken over by the War Department, which can now
be returned and easily changed to Russian gauge, provided means of
payment or credit be devised.
The Russian Chargé d’Affaires has also a cablegram from Omsk urging him
to emphasize the extreme necessity of providing the Inter-Allied
Committee at Vladivostok with funds adequate to purchase railway
material which is so urgently needed.
I hope you can let me have an early reply to this telegram and also to
telegrams 2343, June 19, 5 p.m., and 2346, June 19, 6 p.m.
Executive Order No. 3099–A, June 24, 1919,
providing funds for the relief of the civilian population of
Russia and Siberia, including the restoration of railway traffic
in Siberia
Whereas, on September 19, 1918, the
President allotted to the Department of State from the appropriation
“For the National Security and Defense,” provided for in the Sundry
Civil Act approved July 1, 1918, the sum of five million
($5,000,000) dollars for the purpose of providing winter supplies
for the civilian population of the Archangel district of Russia;
and
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Whereas, on November 27, 1918, the
President transferred the allotment aforesaid to the War Trade Board
of the United States Russian Bureau, Incorporated, as a special fund
with directions that said corporation should take charge of
purchases under said allotment, and of the sale or other
distribution of the supplies acquired by its use; and
Whereas, it has become expedient to
dissolve and to liquidate the affairs of the War Trade Board of the
United States Russian Bureau, Incorporated,
I hereby order and direct that any portion of
the above mentioned allotment which has not been expended shall be
forthwith transferred to the Secretary of State to be by him used
for purposes of providing relief to the civilian population of
Russia and Siberia in such manner as he may see fit.
I hereby order and direct that any and all
moneys, credits, or other assets which have accrued or shall accrue
to the War Trade Board of the United States Russian Bureau,
Incorporated, on account of the sale or other disposition of any
commodities purchased or acquired by the use of the allotments
aforesaid, shall likewise be transferred to the Secretary of State,
and the Secretary of State shall set aside as a special fund all
such moneys, credits, or the like assets, and shall use the same to
provide relief to the civilian population of Russia or Siberia so
long as he may deem advisable and in such manner as he may see fit
including the necessary restoration of the railway traffic in
Siberia.
