ALLIES AND RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 270, 11 August 1919, Page 5

ALLIES AND RUSSIA

FULL OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF POLICY KOLCHAK RECOGNISED The full text of the correspondence exohanged between tho Allied and Associated Governments and Admiral Ivolchak is sot forth in the following communique: The Allied and Associated Powers feel that the time has como when it is necessary for them once more to make dear the policy they propose to pursue in regard to Russia. It has always been a cardinal axiom of tho Allied and Associated Powers to avoid interference in the internal affaire of Russia. Their original intervention was made for tho sole purposo of assisting those elements in Russia which wanted to continue the struggle against German autocraoy and to free their country from Gorman rule, and in order to resoue the Cjsfecho-Slovaks from the dangor of annihilation at the hands'of the Bolshevik forces. Since the signature of tho armistice on November 11, 1918, they have kept forces in various parts of Russia. /Munitions and supplies have been sent to assist those' associated with them at a very considerable cost. No sooner, hqwevsr, did the Peace Conference assemble than they endeavoured to bring peace and order to Russia by inviting representatives of all the warring Governments within Russia to meet them in the hope that they miijht be able to arrange a permanent solution of Russian problems. This proposal and a later offer to relieve tho distress among the suffering millions of Russia broke aowi> through tho refusal of tho Soviet Government to accept the fundamental condition of suspending hostilities while negotiations or tho work of relief was proceeding. Some of the Allied and Associated governments aio now being pressed to withdraw their troops and to incur no further expense in Russia on the ground that continued intervention shows no prospect of produoing an early settlement. Tney are prepared, to continue their assistance on the lines laid down below provided they are satisfied that it will really, help the Russian people to self-government, and peaoe. The Allied and Associated Governments now wish to declare formally that the object of their policy is to restore peaco within Russia by enabling the Russian people to resume control of their own affairs through the instrumentality of a freely-elected Constituent Assembly, and to restore peaco along ,its frontiers by arranging for the settlement of disputes in regard to the-boundaries of the Russian State and its relations with its neighbours' through tho peaceful arbitration of the League.of Nations. They are convinced by. their experiences of the last twelve months that it is not possiblo to attain these ends by dealings with tho Soviet Government of Moscow. - •They are, therefore,, disposed to assist, the Government of Admiral Kolchak and his associates. with munitions, sullies, and food to establish themselves as tho Government of All Russia provided they receive from them definito guarantees that their policy has the same objects in view as that of tho Allied and Associated Powers.

With this object they would ask Admiral Kolchak and his , associates whether they will agree to the following as the conditions npon which they accept continued assistance from the Allied and Associated Powers:

In tho first place, that as soon as they Teach Moscow they will- summon a Constituent Assembly elected by a free, secret, and demooratio ffanohise, as. the supremo Legislature for Russia, to which the Government of Russia must be responsible, or,. if Fit that time order is not sufficiently restored, they will sum. mon the Constituent Assembly elected in 1317 to sit until such time as new elections are possible. Secondly, that throughout the areas' which they at present control they will permit freo elections in. the normal course for all local and legally constituted assemblies, such as municipalities, zemtsvos, etc. Thirdly, that .they will countenance no attempt to revivo tho special privileges of any class or"order "in Russia. The Allied and Associated Powers have noted with satisfaction tho solemn declaration mado by Admiral Kolchak and his associates that, they have no intention of restoring the former land system. They feel that tho principles to bs' followed in the solution of this and other internal questions must be left to the free decdsi6p of the Rusian Constituent Assembly, but they wish to bo assured that thoso whom they are prepared to assist stand for the civil and religious liberty of all Russian citizens, and will mako no attempt to reintroduce tho regimo which the revolution lias destroyed. Fourthly, tharthe indopendoncp of Finland and Poland be recognised, and that, in tho event of tho frontiers and other relations lietween Russia and these countries not being sottled by agreement, they will bo referred to tho arbitration of the League of Nations. . . Fifthly, that if a solution of the relations between Ksthonia, Latvia. Lithuania, and the Caucasian and Transcaspian territories, and Russia is not speedily reached by agreement, the settlement will bo made in consultation and cooperation with tho Leagno of Nations, and that, until such settlement is made, tho Government of Russia agrees to recognise tlieso territories as autoaomous and to conform the relations which may exist l>etween their de 'acto Governments and the Allied arid Associated Governments. ! Sixthly, the right of tho Peace Conference to determine tho future of the Rumanian part of Bessarabia be recognised. • Seventhly, that as soon as a government for Russia had been constituted on a democratic basis Russia should join the League of Nations and. co-operate with the other members in tho limita-' tion of armaments, and of military organisation throughout tho world. Filially, that they abide by the declaration made by Admiral IColohak on Novomber 27, 1918, in regard to Russia's national debts. The Allied and Associated Powers will bs glad to learn as soon as possible whether the Government of Admiral Kolchak and his associates are prepared to accept theso conditions, and also whether, in the event of acceptance, they will undertake to"'form a single Government and Army command as soon as the military situation makes it possible. (Signed) G. Clemenceau. D. Lloyd George. V. E. Orlando. Woodrow WSson. Saionji. Kolchak's Reply. Translation from French (as finally amended in the light of a repetition of the telegram). Telegram from Mr. de Martel, Frenoh Chargo d'Aft'aircs at Omsk, to French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dispatched Omsk Juno 4, 1919, received Paris, June 5, 1919. MOST URGENT. Admiral Kolchak, to whom I handed at the station 'of Tiumen the telegram of Mr. Clemenceau, requests me to communicate the following reply to Mr. Clemenceau:— Tho Government over which I preside has. been happy to learn that the poCioy of the Allied and Associated Powers in Tegard to Russia is in perfect accord with tho task which the Russian Government itwlf. has undertaken, that Government being anxious above all things 1c re-establish peace in the country and to assure to the Russian people tho right to decide their own destiny in freedom by moans of a Constituent Assembly. I appreciate highly the interest shown by the Powers as regards the national movement, and consider their wish to make ccirtain of the political conviction with which wo are inspired as legitimate. I Cm therefore ready to confirm ouco more my previous declarations which I have j always regarded as irrevocable.

1. On November 19, 1918, I assumed power, nnd I shnlll not retain that power one day longer than is required by the interest of the country. My first thought at the moment when the' Bolsheviks aro definitely crushed will lio to fix the date for tho elections of tho Constituent Assembly. A Commission is now at work on direct preparation for them on the basis of universal suffrage. Considering myself as responsible before that Constitutent Assembly, I shall hand over to it all my powers in order that it may freely determine £he system of government. I have, moreover, taken the oath to do this bofore the Supremo Euseian Tribunal, the

guardian of legality. All my ffforts are aimed at concluding the civil war as soon as possible by crushing Bolshevism in order to put the Russian people effectively in a position to express its free will. Any prolongation of this struggle would only nostpouo that moment. The Government however, does not consider itself authorised to. substitute for the inalienable right of free and legal elections tho ipere re-establishment of tho Assembly of 1917, which was elccted under a regime of Bolshevik violence, and tho majority of whoso mom'bers are now in tho Sovietist It is to the legally elected Constituent Assembly alone, which my Gov-, ernmont will do its utmost to convoke promptly, that there will belong the sovoroign rights of deciding the problems of tho Russian -State, both in the intornal

and external affairs-of the country. 2. Wo gladly consont to discuss at once with tho Powers all international questions, and in doing so shall aim at the free and peaceful development of peoples, tho limitation of armaments, and the measures calculated to prevent new wars, of which tho Leasuo of Nations is tho highest expression. The Russian Government thinks, hotvever, that it should recall the fact thflt the final sanction of the decisions which may bo taken in the name of Russia will belong to the Constituent Assembly. Russia cannot now, and cannot in future, over be anything but ia democratic State, where all questions_ involving modifications of the territorial frontiers and of external relations mast be ratified by a representative body which is the natural expression of tho people's sovereignty.

3. Considering the creation of a unified Polish State to bo one of tho chief of the normal and just consequences of the world war, tho Government thinks itself justified in confirming the independence of Poland .proclaimed by the Provisional Russian Government of .1917, all tho pledges and dc!cree3 of which we have accepted. The final solution of the question of delimiting the frontiers between Russia and Poland must, however, m conformity with tho principles qet forth above, bo postponed till tho meeting of the Constituent Assembly. We. are disposed at once to recognise the de facto Government of Finland, but the final solution of the Finnish question must belong to tho Constituent Assembly. 4. Wo are fully disposed at once to prepare for tho solution of the questions tho fate of the nationl groups in Esthonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and of the Caucasian and Transcnspian countries, and we have every reason to believe that a prompt, settlement will be made, seeing that the Government is assuring, as from the present time, the autonomy of the various nationalities. It goes without saying that the limits and conditions of these autonomous institutions will be settled separately as regards each of the nationalities concerned. And even in case difficulties should arise in regard to the solution of these various questions, the .Government is ready to have recourse to the collaboration and good offices of the League of Nations with n view to arriving at a satisfactory settlement. 5. The above principle, implying the ratification of the agreements by tho Constituent Assembly, should obviously be applied to the question of Bessarabia fi. Tlio Russian Government once move repeats its declaration of November 27, 1918, by which it accepted the burden of tho national debt of Russia.

7. As regards the question of internal politics, which can only interest the Powers in so far 'as they reflect tho political tendenciM of the Russian Government. I mako a point of repeating that there cannot be a return to the regime which existed in Russia before February, 1917. Tho provisional solution which my. Government, hag adopted in regard to the agrarian .question aims at satisfying the interests of the great mass of the population; and is inspired by the conviction that Russia can only be flourishing and strong when tho millions of Russian peasants receive *11 guarantees for the possession of the land. Similarly as regards the regime to be applied to the liberated territories the Government, far from placing obstacles in the way of the free election of local assemblies, municipalities,.and Zemstvos, regards the activities of these bodies and also tho development of tho principle of self-gov-ernment as the necessary conditions for the reconstruction of the country, and is already , actually giving them its support and'help by all.'the means at its disposal. ' ' ' , . 8. Having set ourselves the taßk of reestablishing order and justice, and of ensuring individual security to the persecuted population, which is tired of trials and exactions, tho Government aifirms the equality before tho law of all classes and all citizens without any special privilege. All shall (enjoy?) without distinction of origin or of religion tho protection of the State and of tho law. The Government whoso head I am is concentrating all tho forcfes and all the resources at ita disposal in order to accomplish tho task which- it has set itself at this decisive hour. I speak in the name of all National Russia. ■ I am confident that, Bolshevism once crushed, satisfactory solutions will be found 'for all questions which equally concern all thoso populations whose oxistenco is bound up with that of Russia. (Signed) KOLCHAK. \

Allies' Further Note, The following Note is appended: The Allied and Associated Powers wish to acknowledge tho receipt of Almrvil Kolchak's Tcply to their Note of May 2G. They welcome the tone of that reply, which seems to them to ba in substantial agrcemont with tho propositions which they had mado and to contain satisfactory assurances for tho freedom, self-government, and peace of the Russian people and their neighbours. They aro therefore willing to extend to Admiral Kolchak and his associates tlio support set forth in their original letter. (Signed) D. LLOYD GEORGE. ; WOODROW WILSON. G. CLEMENCEAU. V. E. 'ORLANDO. N. MAKINO.