702.60i 11/3: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Commissioner at Riga (Young)
66. Referring to Albrecht’s urgent telegram, October 6, 4 p.m., you are instructed to discuss this matter with the Esthonian authorities. If they have no competent representative at Riga you will proceed to Reval at your early convenience.
In a spirit of frank friendliness explain to them that Department feels they would be peculiarly ill-advised to press this point at this time. You may read to them a paraphrase of Department’s No. 57, September 13 [23], 4 [6] p.m. The proposal which they make in regard to Mr. Virgo would establish for him a status superior to that of the unofficial agents of Latvia and Lithuania now in this country and therefore cannot be accepted by this Government and that insistence by them can only result in the withdrawal of any American representative in Esthonia.
This same question has been raised elsewhere as. for instance in Germany where the American Commissioner enjoys privileges which are not accorded by this Government to any agent of Germany. When this lack of reciprocity was urged as a reason for the reception of a German agent with a similar status in this country, the German Foreign Office was informed that Mr. Dresel would be withdrawn if he was not acceptable on the present status.50
Mr. Albrecht’s position in Reval is similar. Mr. Hurley had previously been stationed at Reval and the Department had no intimation that his presence under the existing arrangements was objected to. Mr. Albrecht was therefore appointed on the assumption that he would be welcomed by the Esthonian authorities. If this is not the case he will be promptly withdrawn as the Department is not prepared to extend recognition to the Baltic Provinces and cannot give to one of them privileges which it does not extend to the others. If the Esthonian authorities are interested in the improvement of trade relations with the United States Mr. Albrecht [Page 664] is instructed to do all in his power to facilitate commercial relations. But if his presence is embarrassing to the Esthonian authorities he will be recalled.
- See vol. ii, pp. 258 ff.↩