[Telegrnm]
STOCKHOLM, November 17, 1917, 5 p.m.
[Received November 18, 2.05 a.m.]
1006. I have just had a personal letter from Ambassador Francis dated November 13 and brought by courier in which he states that he will continue advising me of the situation and asks that I inform you of his cables which I have been doing immediately they were received. The Ambassador writes that there is no Government there of which he is officially informed.
The Allied embassies' military attaches have visited informally the Smolny Institute, headquarters of Bolsheviki, and have been assured that all foreigners particularly American citizens are quite safe in the capital. Trotsky, who has been appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, is a Bolshevik arid like them all is advocating the general division of property, including money in the banks. As you know I have been sanguine about the outcome in Russia and have done all I possibly could to keep her in the war. From my telegrams you will observe that the new Ministry, whatever its composition, is likely advocate peace but not separate peace. The new government's first act was to draw up peace proposal all countries at war which was dispatched by wireless night of November 8.
Ambassador has not heard of receipt of any replies. A three months armistice was also proposed.
MORRIS