861.51/578: Telegram
The Consul General at Irkutsk (Harris), temporarily at Harbin, to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received May 14, 9:20 p.m.]
218. Referring to Department’s April 18th [15th?], 5 p.m. I consider it practically impossible to surcharge notes in question. It would take one man with hand press 2,500 days to surcharge same. Impossible to get presses and men for this work. Recommend all the fifty-kopek notes which do not have to be surcharged be immediately released to Omsk Government. Recommend that further twenty-five and hundred notes to the value of 475,000,000 roubles also be immediately handed to me to be released to Omsk Government without surcharging, as the necessity for this money is urgent just now to save financial situation. Please devise some means, by publication or otherwise, to show that these notes are not obligations of Russian State Bank. Let the declarations remain in escrow pending further arrangements by Department.
Before leaving Vladivostok I attended two meetings of Inter-Allied Railway Committee, which discussed finances. In Harbin have thoroughly discussed situation with Stevens4 and he is in accord with this telegram. On certain sections of Chinese Eastern the workmen are on strike because they cannot be paid. There is grave danger of a catastrophe unless something is immediately done. If these notes are released to me for delivery to Omsk Government along the lines indicated, I will work on basis of thorough understanding with Omsk Government which is ready to give every [Page 456] [apparent omission]. I will also work in close harmony with Inter-Allied Railway Committee and with Stevens in this matter.
- John F. Stevens, president of the Technical Board for the operation of the Chinese Eastern and Siberian railways.↩