861.77/969: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Morris), temporarily at Omsk, to the Secretary of State
[Received July 29, 6 p.m.]
Special discussion, limited to questions that have come up in connection with the operation of the railways, took place this afternoon. There were present the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs; the Minister of Ways and Communications, who is also chairman of the Inter-Allied Committee; the Russian general in charge of military transportation; Sir Charles Eliot;17 Count Martel;18 and Mr. Matsushima representing Japan. Colonel Emerson19 accompanied me.
In my previous talks with Stevens, Emerson and others, I found that the questions could be reduced to three main issues: 1, the refusal of the Japanese military authorities to protect, when called upon to do so, the representatives of the Technical Board from interference in the performance of their duties and the enforcement of their orders; 2, the refusal of the Russian military authorities to discontinue their interference with the despatching of trains and other technical details of operation; 3, the refusal of Russian railway managers to obey the directions of the Technical Board, on the ground that such directions were in conflict with Russian laws and regulations which had never been repealed.
[Page 568]An extended discussion of these issues revealed many misunderstandings and conflicting instructions, but we were finally able to agree unanimously on the following conclusion, which I submit for the approval of the Department:
- 1
- —Strong and immediate measures must be taken to prevent interference of military authorities with the operation of the railway. All requests of the military authorities for transportation of troops and war material have to be addressed to railway officials, who are the only agents in charge of the operation. It is stipulated that all such requests have to be fulfilled by the Railway Administration and military transports to have priority over any other shipments.
- 2
- —The Russian Railway Administration being in charge of the management of the railway and taking instructions from the Inter-Allied Technical Committee, a special decree has to be promulgated providing for temporary suspension—for the period of existence of the Inter-Allied Railway agreement—of all Russian laws conflicting with orders previously issued to the railway officials in accord with this agreement.
- 3
- —The troops in charge of the railway guard should not limit their activity to the protection of the line against Bolshevik attacks, but shall give armed support to the Railway Administration if requested by it. They shall in no case on their own initiative interfere with the operation of the railway.
- 4
- —The Technical [Board] and Military Committee will move to Omsk at the earliest possible date.
All the representatives present agreed to urge their respective Governments to instruct their local civil and military representatives in the spirit of these conclusions. Admiral Kolchak has already issued orders to the Russian military authorities covering number 1, and will immediately promulgate a decree in accordance with number 2. Number 3 covers a very serious issue which has arisen between the Technical Board and the Japanese military, particularly in the Semenoff district. I have discussed the matter with the Japanese Military Mission here, and they now state that they will change their present instructions to bring them into harmony with this third conclusion.
In the meantime Stevens has directed all the Allied inspectors to withdraw from the division between Manchuria Station and Verkhnieudinsk, as General Oba has definitely refused to protect their lives and property. While I appreciate the responsibility Stevens feels for the lives of the inspectors in that district, who are unarmed and unguarded, I regret that he acted so hastily and just as I believed I had reached an understanding with the Japanese authorities. It may, however, stir the Japanese Government to prompt action.