Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1919, Russia

Paris Peace Conference 861.5018/9

Draft by Mr. William C. Bullitt of a proposed letter to be signed by President Wilson and the Prime Ministers of Great Britain, France, and Italy in reply to Dr. Nansen’s letter of April 3

Paris, April 4, 1919.

Dear Dr. Nansen: It is the earnest desire of the Allied and Associated Governments, and of the peoples for whom they speak, to assuage the distress of the millions of men, women and children who are suffering in Russia. The Associated Powers have solemnly pledged their resources to relieve the stricken regions of Europe. Their efforts, begun in Belgium and in Northern France during the course of the war, now extend to exhausted peoples from Finland to the Dalmatian Coast. Ports long idle are busy again. Trainloads of food are moved into the interior and there are distributed with an impartial hand. Industry is awakened, and life is resumed at the point where it was broken off by war. These measures of relief will be continued until nations are once more able to provide for their needs through the normal channels of commerce.

The associated peoples desire and deem it their duty similarly to assist in relieving the people of Russia from the misery, famine and disease which oppress them. In view of the responsibilities which have already been undertaken by the Associated Governments they welcome the suggestion that the neutral States should take the initiative in the matter of Russian relief and, therefore, are prepared to state in accordance with your request, the conditions under which they will approve and assist a neutral Commission for the provisioning of Russia:

The Allied and Associated Governments and all governments now exercising political authority within the territory of the former Russian Empire, including Finland, together with Poland, Galicia, Roumania, Armenia, Azerbaidjan and Afghanistan, shall agree that hostilities against one another shall cease on all fronts within these territories on April 20th at noon; that fresh hostilities shall not be begun during the period of this armistice, and that no troops or war material of any kind whatever shall be transferred to or within these territories so long as the armistice shall continue. The duration of the armistice shall be for two weeks unless extended by mutual consent.

The Allied and Associated Governments propose that such of these Governments as are willing to accept the terms of this armistice, shall send not more than three representatives each, together with necessary technical experts, to Christiania, where they shall meet on April 25th with representatives of the Allied and Associated Governments in conference to discuss peace and the provisioning of Russia, upon the basis of the following principles:

1. All signatory governments shall remain, as against each other, in full control of the territories which they occupy at the moment when the armistice becomes effective, subject only to such rectifications as may be agreed upon by the Conference, or until the peoples inhabiting these territories shall themselves voluntarily determine to change their government.

2. The right of free entry, sojourn, circulation and full security shall be accorded by the several signatories to the citizens of each other; provided, however, that such persons comply with the laws of the country to which they seek admittance, and provided also that they do not interfere or attempt to interfere in any way with the domestic politics of that country.

3. The right to send official representatives enjoying full liberty and immunity shall be accorded by the several signatories to one another.

4. A general amnesty shall be granted by the various signatories to all political or military opponents, offenders, and prisoners who are so treated because of their association or affiliation with another signatory, provided that they have not otherwise violated the laws of the land.

5. Nationals of one signatory residing or detained in the country of another shall be given all possible facilities for repatriation.

6. The Allied and Associated Governments will immediately withdraw their armed forces and further military support from the territory of the former Russian Empire, including Finland and the various governments within that territory shall effect a simultaneous reduction of armed forces according to a scheme of demobilization and control to be agreed upon by the Conference.

7. Any economic blockade imposed by one signatory as against another shall be lifted and trade relations shall be established, subject to a program of equitable distribution of supplies and utilization of transport facilities to be agreed upon by the Conference in consultation with representatives of those neutral States which are prepared to assume the responsibility for the provisioning of Russia.

8. Provision shall be made by the Conference for a mutual exchange of transit and port privileges among the several signatories.

9. The Governments which have been set up on the territory of the former Russian Empire and Finland shall recognize their responsibility for the financial obligations of the former Russian Empire to foreign states parties to this agreement and to the nationals of such states. Detailed arrangements for discharging these obligations shall be agreed upon by the Conference, regard being had to the present financial situation of Russia.

10. The Conference shall be competent to discuss and determine any other matter which bears upon the provisioning of Russia, the problem of establishing peace within the territory of the former Russian Empire, including Finland, and the reestablishment of international relations among the signatories.