Paris Peace Conference 184.01602/3: Telegram
The Chief of the Mission to Southern Russia (Riggs) to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received in Paris March 19, 2:20 a.m.]
Food situation here exceedingly serious in the town of Odessa, now that the Kherson-Nikolaieff grain stores are cut off. Prices very high, money practically worthless, and every sort of speculation being carried on to an extraordinary extent. Only hope for treating bad situation and best possible anti-Bolsheviki propaganda appears to be the speedy assistance Allied food supplies and merchandise together with adequate personnel with authority to [Page 752] prevent speculation. Secondarily, the Allied Governments should come to an immediate agreement which will put an end to the present unfortunate position, in which the French authorities [are] backing the Petlioura government who are still on bad terms with the Denikine specially now, while the British Government, who consider perhaps with reason that the former weak Petlioura government is nothing but an advance guard of Bolshevikism, are backing the Denikine government. Cases of armed conflict between the Volunteers and Petlioura government have occurred but are apparently now being controlled by the French.