Petrograd, November 7, 1917, 5 p.m.

AUTHOR — United States

Foreign Relations of the United States : 1918 The November Revolution

The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State

File No. 861.00/632 The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State

\[Telegram\]

PETROGRAD, November 7, 1917, 5 p.m.

\[Received November 10, 4.30 a.m.\]

1961\. Whitehouse, (1) _en route_ to the Embassy this morning, was accidentally met by aide-de-camp of Kerensky and several \[minutes afterwards by\] latter who told him that he was hurriedly leaving to meet regular troops on the way to Petrograd to support Government which would otherwise be deposed. He acknowledged that Bolsheviki control city and that Government powerless without reliable troops as there are few here of that nature. He said that he expected that the remainder of Ministry would be arrested to-day and told Whitehouse to convey request to me not to recognize Soviet government if such is established in Petrograd as he expected whole affair to be liquidated within five days but this in my judgment depends on number of soldiers who will obey (him ?).

FRANCIS

(1) Sheldon Whitehouse, Secretary of the Embassy. Back