File No. 861.00/1454
The Minister in China (Reinsch) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 8, 5.15 p.m.]
In regard to Siberia: Russian Minister at Peking and Russian Ambassador at Tokyo are imperialists in sentiment, opposed to democratic movement in Russia. The same is true of General Horvat and his group whom they are backing. They are counting on support of Japan. The Japanese Government backing Horvat.
The Chinese Government director of Chinese Eastern Railroad informed Palmer, in strict confidence, that Japanese Minister had recently asked him whether there is any intention of using American assistance on the Chinese Eastern Railroad in north Manchuria. The Director was made to feel that such an arrangement was not wanted.
The Russian Minister called on me yesterday and stated that the Siberian situation could be solved only if the [members?] of the Tomsk government would back Horvat in carrying the burden of inviting foreign intervention. He then proceeded to speak of the Chinese Eastern Railway and stated that as this was a Chinese enterprise, in which Russia had certain treaty rights, it was supposed that the arrangements made for American assistance to Russian railways did not refer to it.