6 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE Saturday, March 8, 1919 Tchicherin Report to the Fifth Soviet Congress, July 1918 her culty with the number of this condition, owner, IlI.
Translated by Auerhaan a coming crisis.
When the Russian government deLL such impracticable actions give cause for manded the recall of the ambassador, whose declaraprotest from the German government and also Socialistic Europe. We are prepared to pay for such tion would prejudice the friendly relations of both cause for conflicts which increase the obliga assistance: yes, to pay. We declare it openly, as we countries, the French governnient gave no answer, and tions excessively. The question of computation of are not to blame.
the damage caused by us, the question of the financial The nationalization of the principal branches of bassador is still present in Vologda, although the Rusliquidation of our obligations which were caused by industry, the nationalization of foreign trade do not sian government considers him merely an ordinary inthese actions and the question of the regulation of our exclude these payments. they but determine the form dividual. On the other side, the French government social legislation relative to foreign subjects demand and manner of payment which ioreign capital shall refused to allow admission to France to Kamienef. immediate decision.
who traveling on a special mandate of the Russian The joint Commission of German and Soviet rep The question of the return of the prisoners of war government. Despite our continuous demands for the resentatives, who are at this moment in session in and civil prisoners, and the maintenance of them until in return of our troops stationed in France, only the inBerlin is confronted by an extremely complicated their return to their countries, played a great part our relations to Germany and Austria Hungary. Be to bear in different ways upon our soldiers to induce valids were sent home. Constant pressure was brought problem. Our representative, Bronsky, proposed the following conditions for an agreement, in the name tween Russia and Austria Hungary, the question of them to continue the war in the ranks of the Russian of the People Commissaire of Trade and Industry: the number of war prisoners to be transported pre legions. The great ajority of the soldiers refused Russia sented no difficulties, as the number of prisoners on because they recognized the authority of the Soviet both tion, take up her economic relations with the Cen sides was less than million. There was diffi and approved the withdrawal of Russia from the war.
tral Powers again, and at the same time continue her Germany, as our war prison On account of this, many were persecuted or were relations with the Entente Powers as far as possible.
ers in Germany was more than a million, while the sent to the African penal camp. To meet our obligations to wers, number of German prisoners in Russia was but little according to the treaty of Brest Litovsk, we are comIn the beginning of the year (1918. when the negoa hundred thousand. As the Russian Gerpelled to conclude a loan, whereby the total amount of tiations concerning the return of our troops from man commission in Moscow could not come to an agreement on these obligations shall be turned into a state debt, between The payments of interest shall be partly in products of war prisoners question of the basis for an exchange France were started, France proposed, as an indisRussia and Germany, it was pensable cond the return of the Czecho Slovak of our country, and timber, and partly in gold and in line referred to the Russian German commission in Ber divisions to France, as France was very much concerned with their fate. When the Czecho Slovaks German securities in possession of the Russian gov lin, who adopted the principle of exchanging man for man, in accordance with an ultimatum of the German their rebellion, the representative of France ernment.
authorities on As a guarantee for this debt, and also for the We had to accomodate ourin Moscow declared that the disarmament of the Czeto this demand. We payment of the more necessary products for the ecoare cho Slovak soldiers would be considered as an unyet facing a severe the condi Germany, we propose to give certain concessions for them labor under extraordinarily, severe conditions.
France, in which opinion he was supported by the reour war prisonrs in Germany, where the majority of presentatives of England, Italy and the United States We ons of North America.
condition of these concessions are within the existing prisoners of war shall have returned to their country The English government has, on the other hand, Social and Trade laws of Russia and provide that the futher return of Russian prisoners occurs in the not only kept her frontiers open to the agents of the take same tempo Soviet government this was, to remind the readers The concessions cover the following branches those to Germany, as the treaty of Brest Litovsk was of the proceeds and reserve the right of control.
The relations to Austria Hungary are less vital than again, reported before the conspiracy of Lockhard, which caused the change in attitude of the English (b) The building of railroads. c) The preparation ginning, there was only the question 07 the exchange the authorized representative, Litvinof, of the Russian of prisoners of war, but later financial commission Soviet Republic. He was allowed the right to send by introducing more scientific and technical methods arrived in Moscow from Vienna, with the object of and receive couriers, and to use the code, but notof agriculture, under the condition that Germany will regulating the mutual financial obligations of both this, the attitude of the English governreceive a certain part of the products resulting from states upon a basis similar to that ment in such methods. d) The production of artificial fermates commissions in Berlin. Kamjenif was appointed many respects, not in conformity with the dignity of tilizer. e) The the Russian Republic. After exploitation of the gold fields. as our representative to Vienna, But we have not as had rented a a house for the embassy of the Russian 5: For the realization of these measures all the yet received recognition by the Austria Hungarian arian diplomatic representation, the owner, without any productive forces of Russia must be mobilized.
government. We expect the appointment of repre cause, declared the contract void, and the court has The following are the necessary conditions under sentative of Austria Hungary to Moscow in the near which the agreement evidently sustained the illegal action of and is sanctioned: future (this report was made in the beginning of July. a) No interference whatsoever by Germany in which will greatly improve the relations between both the court embellished its decision with comments which our internal to the Soviet government.
couriers countries.
were admitted but were subjected to (b) No intervention by Germany in those countries with which she was formerly united, by the conclusion The Turkish embassador, Thalib Kemal Bey, came gation. When Kamjene and Salkind arrived in erul invece Moscow with the German embassador, Count Mirof mutual economic treaties, to wit: Úkraine, Poland, bach, but the establishment of friendly relations betheir diplomatic documents were taken away from them, and the Baltic Provinces (Estland) and the Caucasus.
returned when they left England. c) Recognition by Germany of the nationaliza is also the object of exploitation by World Capita1. opportunity and the police who accompanied them tion of foreign trade and the banks.
treated them shamelessly. few people who were (d. Gurantee from Germany for the continuathe Gi Vented by the aggressive policy of Turkey in where the Turkish tion of the supply in the bureau of our diplomatic staff were working more to sovie and from the occupied Batoum, Kars and Ardahan, commenced to expelled from England, and were not even allowed to advance further, occupied Alexandropol and threatconfer with Litvinof.
Caucasus, from which districts received at least half of the total ore production.
The English government maintains friendly rela(e) Ratification of the boundary between Ukraine in the Caucasus was always pointed to by the Turkish tions with the old Czaristic embassy and consulate, embassador as an answer to our protest.
as well as with the so called Russian Governments, and the Don region whereby Russia shall be awarded the Donetz coal mines, as at preselit this boundary line aprasjnikof, pointed constantly to the absence of any jects which concern military service, Russian prisoners The lately arrived Bulgarian ambassador, Mr. Taj and the English government consults them on all subruns through the center of the mines.
causes that could interrupt the friendly relations of Concerning the demand that we meet our obliga the peoples of Bulgaria and Russia, while at the same of war, Russian steamers in harbors, and English other general interests of Russia. Consuls McLean tions by payment with products, we call attention to of all our policy, to whi ata which ince in Glasgow and Simonof in Australia, appointed by Russia, were not recognized. The situation was most difficult right after the conclusion of the Brest Liclaims does not mean that we refuse, for, as far as garian ambassador, makes it we attention of the Bulour position as a neutral nation makes this possible friendly relations in both possible to maintain the countries.
to supply Germany with raw materials and products, tovsk treaty. The yellow press insulted McLean viThe we are willing to deliver to her what we can without the Entente Powers was adopted by the United States most favorable position to Soviet Russia among ciously.
to our own interests, without conflicting with The position of Russian citizens in England is, in of North America. We remind our readers that this the situation of our country as a neutral nation.
general, very difficult; the pogrom agitation seems to our interests, the interests of report was made in the beginning of July, 1918. We continue in the newspapers. The return of Russian exhausted an want to remind you of the telegram of greetings to nation, make it necessary that we receive in return for the Emergency Congress by President Wilson in citizens is made very difficult for them. The old miliproducts which are expensive in Europe at present March, tary agreement by Kerensky, which the such products as are absolutely necessary for the re It is a public secret that at the moment when many citizens in the English army, is still made use of. government the right to draft Russian storation of the country.
the beginning of we declarerl to Relative to the opinions existing in the capitalistic in Siberia, the principal obstacle to intervention was government of Great Britain that we do not recognize this Kerenthe concessions worthless, that the nationalization States of North America. Our plan is to offer an sky agreement. Comrade Litvinof demanded beration of these citizens who were drafted into the excludes the declare: Our country is in a state of America, besides our negotiations for an agreement of making profits for foreign economic agreement to the United States of North English army upon the the basis of this agreement, but deterioration England without performing work in the interest of received the answer that foreigners could not live in the form, which is pointed out by the Gerinan capital country, despite the landing of Japanese troops in the nation and that those Russian citizens would be ists as a Socialistic experiment, would be resisted by Vladivostok and despite the campaign of a part of the drafted in the workers divisions for the production strong opposition of the niasses, as the people have Japanese press in favor of intervention, we hope to of munitions for the army.
submit again to the uncontrolled capitalistic hubbub great number of the French people adopted an Soon after this many were transported to Egypt to of restoration. If German Capitalism would reckon unirement of the State debt. When the question drafting of Russian citizens in the English ariny was be drafted in the Jewish legion in Palestine. The attitude towards Soviet Russia, caused by with this fact, and fact it surely is then the Ger the temporarily discontinued. but afterwards reviewedl.
capitalistic centres would understand that we of a possible armed invasion of Japan and may be of with the difference that those wito were called in the have, after the inevitable period of confusion, reached its allies in the Soviet domain became acute, the interthe work of organization, and that we require for this view of the French ambassador in regard to the pos the above mentioned workers division.
service were not put in the army on the field but in work the assistance of foreign economic apparatus, as sibility of armed intervention, eventually even against long as we can not depend upon the assistance of a the Soviet government, served as a alarming sign of (To be continued)
Our to land, all was voi Rog in the Khersonaliseren Russia has hitherto concluded 1918, the liman