Colonel House to Woodrow Wilson
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Lord Reading, who has been in Cambridge getting a degree, has spent the better part of the day with me. While here he received a cable from Balfour about Russian intervention. I suggested that he send you a copy for your information before he sees you, which he hopes to do on Monday.
It is a panicy document in the main, and neither Reading nor I agree to the statement that a decision is not possible on the Western Front without an Eastern Front as well. The memorandum attached and which was drawn up by their representative in Russia together with the French Ambassador there is worthy of notice. I believe something must be done immediately about Russia, otherwise it will become the prey of Germany. It has become now a question of days rather than months. I have this to suggest and recommend: Make an address to Congress setting forth the food situation in this country; telling of the speeding up of our food products in one year time to a point where after August it will not be necessary for the Allies to continue on rations except as to beef and sugar. This statement in itself will enormously stimulate the morale in France, England and Italy and correspondingly depress that of the Central Powers. Hoover has planned to make this statement himself in London around the middle of July, and may not like your anticipation. Nevertheless, you are the one to make it and now is the time.
Then set forth your plan for sending a "Russian Relief Commission," headed by Hoover, with the purpose of helping Russia speed up her food production by the same methods we have used. While this is being done, the Commission to be instructed to coordinate all such relief organizations as the Red Cross, YMCA etc. etc. and supply the Russian people with agricultural implements necessary to make their potential arable lands as productive as ours and with a like beneficent result.
To do this it would be necessary for the Relief Commission and their assistants to have a safe and orderly field to work in, and you have therefore asked the cooperation and assistance of England, France, Italy and Japan which they have generously promised, and they have also given the United States the assurance that they will not either now or in the future, interfere with Russia's political affairs, or encroach in any way upon her territorial integrity. This program will place the Russian and Eastern situation in your hands, and will satisfy the Allies and perhaps reconcile the greater part of Russia towards this kind of intervention. Lord Reading is enthusiastic over this plan, and I asked him to discuss it with you when you receive him. The main difficulty that I see is getting Japan's consent to your taking such a dominant position, but Reading thinks he can be persuaded to yield.
EM House
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