763.72119/3797: Telegram
The Commission to Negotiate Peace to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received February 18, 10:21 a.m.]
797. The following telegram has been sent to the President.
“The discussion of the Russian question was continued at the meeting this afternoon at the Quai d’Orsay.
Mr. Winston Churchill submitted a resolution directing the military representatives of the Supreme War Council at Versailles, with whom might be associated as required representatives of the General Staffs of the Navies of the Allied and Associated Powers, to examine and report at an early date as to the practical possibilities of landing [joint] military action by the Associated Powers to enable the Russian armies called into being by these powers during the war with Germany to maintain themselves against Bolshevist [Page 69] coercion, and as to what measures and precautions might be necessary or possible to safeguard Finland, Esthonia, Livonia, Poland and Roumania. The American representatives opposed the adoption of this resolution, and after considerable discussion it was agreed particularly to ensure secrecy at this stage of the discussion, that each delegate [delegation] would consult its military representatives at Versailles on the points mentioned in Mr. Churchill’s resolution, that the military representatives would talk the matter over in confidence with each other, and that they would then report to their respective delegations as soon as possible. The matter would then come up again for discussion with a view to determining upon a policy. …”58
. . . . . . .
In the minutes of the meeting of the Supreme War Council, Paris, Feb. 17, 1919, 3 p.m. (Paris Peace Conference 180.03101/41), a single short paragraph relating to Russia reads as follows:
“7. A discussion on the policy to be pursued in Russia ensued, and after an exchange of views, it was decided to postpone the resumption of the discussion until later in the week.”
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