Office of the Historian

861.00/4418: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Morris) to the Acting Secretary of State

Tokyo, May 2, 1919, midnight.
[Received May 3, 8:50 p.m.]

The Minister for Foreign Affairs today handed me the following memorandum of a suggested military policy in Siberia:

“In order to insure harmony in the operations of the Associated troops in Siberia it is suggested that an understanding be reached among the powers interested on the line of action to be adopted for the protection of railways and of rivers and waterways in that region:

1.
The zone for the protection of railways shall cover an area lying within the maximum range of Russian guns plus a further distance to be defined on each side of railway tracks. In the case of urban districts traversed by railways such firing range shall be counted from the outer limits of the towns. (Taking for example eight kilometers as the maximum firing range of Japanese field gun and two kilometers as the further distance required the zone is to extend to ten kilometers on each side of railway tracks.)
2.
The maintenance of order within the limits of the said zone shall be undertaken by the Associated troops. No armed Bolshevik bands shall be allowed to exist in that zone and in the event of an invasion by such bands the Associated troops shall forthwith expel them from the zone.
Outside the limits of the zone Russian troops shall be solely responsible for the maintenance of order, it being, however, understood that the Associated troops may in case of necessity assume the protection of their respective nationals residing outside the zone.
3.
The limits of the zone shall be defined in common accord by the military authorities of the Associated Powers in Siberia.
4.
The foregoing clauses respecting the protection of railways shall be applied to all rivers and waterways available for general traffic.
5.
Political bodies formed in Russia to conduct an orderly administration and in particular the Government at Omsk, which is at present the representative organization of this kind, shall be given moral and material support by the Associated Powers in their efforts for the reestablishment of peace and security in Siberia.
6.
In case the Russian troops find their strength inadequate to maintain order in regions outside the specified zone and seek the Allied assistance [representatives?] of the Associated Powers may upon consultation extend to them necessary assistance.”

I have repeated the above to General Graves and requested his comment.

In general it appears to me to conform to the policy which the Department approved.

Morris