1043

October 30, 1917.

Dear Mr. President:

Under date of October 13, 1917, you authorised a credit
of $50,000,000 to the Russian Government. It was then explained
that the request of that Government had been for $230,000,000 to
cover expenditures until the first of January, 1918. The Russian
Ambassador has indicated that that amount can be diminished by practically
$55,000,000, leaving $125,000,000 as the substantial amount
now desired.

The attached letter was signed by Secretary McAdoo, to
be sent to the Russian Ambassador, if you approve. With certain
restrictions, indicated in that letter, it is believed that this
additional credit should be now made known to the Russian Government.
I have the honor, therefore, to request that you be good
enough to approve the action indicated in the letter to be addressed
to the Russian Ambassador.

Concerning this matter, a despatch has just been received
from Ambassador Francis from which the following is a quotation:

"Please tell Secretary of Treasury because of facts reported
above, I am inclined to advise putting off reply in regard
to 235 million increase if it can be done without offense. On
the other hand would advise completing special Finnish loan
when requested referred to in his cable as being sixty-five
and not seventy-five million dollars. I must not be understood
as discouraging advances to Russia but merely that reply to item
above be postponed diplomatically. Here conditions change very
rapidly. Lenin is quoted by Bolshevik organ as demanding
demonstrations on the ground that neither Goverment nor Council
of Republic is really inspired by revolutionary democratic spirit.

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