861.00/4165: Telegram
The Minister in China (Reinsch) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received March 27, 1919, 4:25 a.m.]
Following from [Harris at] Vladivostok:
“200. March 25, 5 p.m. I have received following from Omsk Government which begs that contents their declaration be considered extremely confidential as no such statement has been given other Allies regarding this matter:
‘Regarding the last events in the Far East the Russian Government considers it necessary to inform the Government of the United States of the following: The political, the military and particularly the international situation in the Far East are such that the Russian Government although having its administration in that region [is] practically unable to exercise its power and authority over this part of the country. It seems obvious that the successes obtained in western Siberia in the line of establishing regular administration and restoring legal order has [sic] not been extended in an equal measure to the region lying east of the Baikal Lake where reigns disorder and acts separate noncoordinated military appear reactionary character and where defence of public safety still relies mostly on foreign troops.
Such conditions are due first of all to the fact that the government’s attention and [is] perhaps absorbed by the creation of the fighting army on the western front. Up to now it was embarrassed to direct its efforts for the organization in the Far East of a similar and disciplined army. But independent of the above statement a serious obstacle which necessarily must be taken into consideration are certain foreign influences and particularly the work of Japanese agents, who footed [sic] among military circles of east Siberia currents which become an impediment, hampering establishment in that part of the country of the governmental authority based on principals of democracy and legality. In that respect special attention must be paid to Ataman Semenoff, who is backed by Japan. His presence in the Trans-Baikal has singularly impeded the extension of our influence on the Far East as well. In Vladivostok the Japanese are disallowed energetic activity, which creates unsound conditions of political untrustworthy and corruption [sic]. In these circumstances of which we consider it our duty to inform the Government of United States, we can not take upon us fully the responsibility for what is taking place in the Far East.
Insomuch as the Government is being informed of arbitrary and lawless acts perpetrated by local representatives of the Government it takes urgent measures to examine the character of such acts which might injure the precepts of legality and political impartiality of the observation welcomed [sic] throughout the country. The Government will insist that one must equally have in view that the central government considers the development of land and town local self-administration as vitally essential for the democratic development [Page 485] State Council. The Government has enacted new law concerning municipal elections and shortly will be prompted another edict concerning the Zemstvos, land self-administration, all these new regulations are based on the principal of universal suffrage and only certain causal additional inheritances of the Bolshevik system will be dispensed with. The issue is significant that the Zemstvos and Municipalities of western Siberia not only manifest complete loyalty and allegiance to the Government, but are a serious support to its activity.
But unfortunately the same can not be said about the Far East, where Bolshevik ideas have not died out and this evidently on account of the mentioned reasons is the total absence of a [apparent omission] and democratic Russian administration.
Such a state of affairs requires the adoption of severe measures but this Government will nevertheless insist that these should be based on proper inquiry and legal process.
As to the cases of illegal prosecutions against separate political personalities no unofficial parties at Omsk itself, if such sorrowful happenings have occurred, they all were a cause of deep regret to the Government who has ordered strict investigation to be performed by a special governmental inquest committee.’
Harris”