Microfilm Reel 194, File 64, "Russia"

THE WHITE HOUSE FILES MEMORANDUM.

Writer:

Mr. Ivan Narodny, 17 Battery Place, N. Y., 7-22-17

(to the President)

Subject: Russia; says Russia needs the moral encouragement of this country and urges the sending of an expeditionary corps of this country's army to Russia accompanied by a number of Russians of high character to assure Russia of the backing of the people of the U. S. Desires to be one of this commission and asks sanction in the undertaking

64 Referred to State for suggested reply if any

Date: June 24, 1917

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[Letterhead - FIORELLO H. LA GUARDIA [oval seal THE WHITE HOUSE JUNE 24 1917]

June 25, 1917.

His Excellency Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, Washington, D. C.

My dear Mr. President:-

At the urgent request of the Archbishop of the Russian Creek Catholic Church of New York City, the Society for the Union of Russian Elements of Homestead, Pennsylvania, and 216 Fraternal Chapters of the Russian Mutual Aid Societies of the United States, and 400 parishes of the Russian Greek Orthodox Mission with a membership of 300,000 parishioners, I introduced on June 15th a resolution asking your Excellency to designate a day on which the people of this country may express their sympathy by contributing toward the relief of the Russians. A copy of the Resolution is enclosed herein. It follows the text of the Lithuanian, Polish, Armenian and Jewish Day resolutions.

I take the liberty of requesting Your Excellency to kindly let me have an expression of your opinion in regard to this resolution so that I may present it together with the requests made on me to the Committee on Foreign Affairs now considering my resolution.

I have the honor to be, Sir. Very respectfully yours,

[signature] F. La Guardia

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H RES 103.

65TH CONGRESS, Ist SESSION.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. JUNE 15, 1917. Mr. La GUARDIA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed.

RESOLUTION. Whereas in the various countries now engaged in war there are millions of Russians, the great majority of whom are destitute of food, shelter, and clothing; and

Whereas millions of them have been driven from their homes without warning, deprived of an opportunity to make provision for their most elementary wants, causing starvation, disease, and untold suffering; and

Whereas the people of the United States of America have learned with sorrow of this plight of millions of human beings and have most generously responded to the cry for help whenever such an opportunity has reached them: Therefore be it

1 Resolved, That in view of the misery, wretchedness, 2 and hardships which these millions of Russians are suffering. 3 the President of the United States be respectfully asked to 4 designate a day on which the citizens of this country may 5 give expression to their sympathy by contributing to the 6 funds now being raised for the relief of the Russians in the 7 war zone.

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65th CONGRESS) 1st SESSION H. RES. 103. RESOLUTION

To designate a day on which the people of this country may express their sympathy by contributing toward the relief of the Russians in the war rones.

By Mr. LA GUARDIA

JUNE 15, 1917.—Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed

[Letterhead: THE WHITE HOUSE]

Dear Tumulty:

I would be very much obliged to you if you would write to Mr. La Guardia and say that the embarrassment is this: The cases he names are the cases of nations that have been conquered or overrun and are not in charge of their own affairs. The case of the Russian people constitutes a very different matter and I doubt if what he suggests could be done without serious risk of offending the sensibilities of a great free people who are surely ready and willing to take care of their own.

The President. C.L.S.

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