Military, out of turn

Arkhangelsk, provincial executive committee, commissar Kulikov

Telegram

The Congress does not dare to give an ultimatum to the central workers' and peasants' power. The Congress does not dare to address foreign countries in addition to the central Soviet power. Any attempt to pursue such a policy will be regarded by the government as high treason. Perpetrators will be punished up to confiscation of all property and execution by firing squad.

Chairman of the People's Commissar Lenin.

People's Commissar of War Trotsky.

27/VI. 11 [hours] 20 [minutes].

Fond 2, op. 1, d. 24860 - copy.

1The telegram was sent in response to the message of the chairman of the Arkhangelsk provincial executive committee M.S.Novov and the commissar at the commander of land and sea forces of the Arkhangelsk district R.P.Kulikov dated June 26, 1918, as follows: "The Third Pomor regional fishery congress in Arkhangelsk demands a definite answer concerning the protection of steamship traffic and fishing in the White Sea and Murman. If there is no or negative answer within seven days, the congress gives the right to the Pomors to ask for help of the Anglo-French in the sense of protection of fisheries, shipping and Murmansk road and supplying the population with coal and food. The seven-day term expires tomorrow. We ask you to answer urgently whether we can send our military ships for protection" (GARF, f. 130, op. 2, d. 730, l. 93).