862.00/347: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland ( Stovall ) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 23—10:38 a.m.]
5873. McNally2 sends the following:
“19th. From a reliable source just returned from Germany. Following the success of revolution at Kiel the sailors after winning over the garrisons at Hanover and Cologne proceeded to Berlin where they were arrested by the soldiers and imprisoned, but in two days converted their captors and with them rode through the streets firing indiscriminately and waving red flags. The Government is administered by six Social Democrats, three Majority representatives standing for order and three of the Minority or Independents having Bolshevik tendencies. The left wing of the Independents are terrorists. The Bolsheviks in Russia recently offered to make an offensive and defensive alliance with the Independents. Solf prevented. The Soldiers’ Council are for order which will be [apparent omission] if starvation, [Page 96] the ally of Bolshevism, does not intervene and if it does my informant declares that nothing can save Germany from the Bolshevism and all it stands for; that the limited supply of food in Germany makes the carrying out of the armistice terms impossible when the stores intended for the German army are taken by the Allies leaves foodless [sic]; that the President of the United States should make it clear to the German people that unless order is maintained throughout Germany, will not help with food and that this would defeat Bolshevism. He declares that if food is sent from America it must be distributed under strict military condition [s]. Many soldiers behind the front are returning in disorder and are pillaging. At Frankfort recently a train full of sailors jeered at a train full of soldiers on the siding. The soldiers opened fire and killed or wounded almost all. The success of Bolshevism in Germany would endanger Switzerland if not all Europe. McNally.”
- James C. McNally, vice consul at Zurich.↩