861.00/6480: Telegram
The Consul at Harbin (Jenkins) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received March 2—3:23 a.m.]
Referring to your telegram of February 19, 3 p.m.73 Such information as can be gathered here indicates Semenoff is trying to place [win?] support of Zemstvo and other organizations by promising various reforms such as stopping requisitions, subordinating military to civil authority, and establishing order; but it is not believed that he can accomplish anything, because he is bitterly hated and distrusted by people generally and can not control his own followers.
According to Czech telegrams negotiations in progress at Irkutsk between Social Revolutionaries and Moscow Government looking to establishment temporary buffer state under nominal Social Revolutionary control Eastern Siberia. It is said Bolsheviks favor such a plan because it would save them from coming into immediate direct contact with Japanese and Chinese, but serve as a sort of go-between. Czechs report growing discontent in Central Siberia against Bolsheviki even among the workmen.
- Not printed.↩