A US Ambassador visits Vladivostok during the Civil War

MORRIS, Roland

Signed Letter to Charles Hart, with Envelope

Publication: Flagship BROOKLYN, Vladivostok, October 4, 1918.

MORRIS, Roland, Signed Letter to Charles Hart, with Envelope

The US Ambassador to Japan recounts his views of Vladivostok, just a year after the Russian Revolution while the Civil War front is moving eastwards: a fine letter on embossed official paper of the Embassy, kept with its signed original envelope.

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The US Ambassador to Japan recounts his views of Vladivostok, just a year after the Russian Revolution while the Civil War front is moving eastwards: a fine letter on embossed official paper of the Embassy, kept with its signed original envelope.

The US ambassador to Japan in 1917-20, diplomat and politician Roland Sletor Morris (1874–1945) went on his job duties, “for certain conferences”, to Vladivostok in September-October 1918, when the Russian Civil War was raging. The front gradually evolving towards Eastern Siberia and the Far East, Morris most probably came to Vladivostok to negotiate some US support to the anti-Bolshevik Russians. Nonetheless, Vladivostok was ultimately defeated by the Red Army just four years after this letter,on 25 October 1922, bringing down the Provisional Priamur Government.

From the Flagship Brooklyn, Morris shares his strong impressions with his friend, the Pennsylvania physician and philanthropist Charles Delucena Hart (1871-1951). He observes the population and keeps in mind these tumultuous historic times: “As you can imagine, just at present this is a most interesting place, and I doubt whether there is a spot in the whole world where you will see greater varieties of racial types or greater numbers of representative people than right here in Vladivostok, where part of the amazing drama of the Russian Revolution is open to the eye of the world, so that we are permitted to take just a peek into larger issues that lie beyond.”

Morris also includes a complimenting comment on Japan and its inhabitants, before continuing his local Russian observations, expressing his hope that the younger Russian generation would be able to redress the issues the Revolution and the Civil War entailed: “as I was driving along the main street of Vladivostok [I] saw a group of sturdy Russian boy scouts out on parade. There was something hopeful and inspiring in the fact that, in all the chaos around, these small boys were still keeping up their organisation and marching like little solders just to show that the future generation of Russians is not discouraged.”

The letter is typed on the elegant embossed US embassy paper and is preserved together with its envelope, also signed by Morris and which Hart received in November 1918.

Flagship BROOKLYN,

Vladivostok, Siberia,

October 4, 1918.

My dear Hart:

Your letter of August 19 finally reached me here yesterday (October 3) at Vladivostok. One

grows hungry for home news when so far away, and it was mighty good of you to take time,

with all your other activities, to give me your impressions of war conditions in the United States.

I left Tokyo several weeks ago to come here for certain conferences, and expect to remain

some time longer. As you can imagine, just at present this is a most interesting place, and I

doubt whether there is a spot in the whole world where you will see greater varieties of racial

types or greater numbers of representative people than right here in Vladivostok, where part

of the amazing drama of the Russian Revolution is open to the eye of the world, so that we

are permitted to take just a peek into larger issues that lie beyond.

It is hardly necessary to say that my experience of a year in Tokyo has more than confirmed

your judgement and conclusions which we talked over before I left. It has been a great

privilege and opportunity to come into close contact with many representatives of the

Japanese people. Some day, when it is all over, I promise myself the pleasure of sitting down

at the Club and telling you all about it.

I thought of you only a few days ago, as I was driving along the main street of Vladivostok

and saw a group of sturdy Russian boy scouts out on parade. There was something hopeful

and inspiring in the fact that, in all the chaos around, these small boys were still keeping up

their organization and marching like little solders just to show that the future generation of

Russians is not discouraged. I tried to take a picture of this rather pathetic parade, but missed

the opportunity. I should have liked to send it to you to show your boys in Philadelphia.

If the spirit moves you, do write again and tell me anything that is interesting.

With kindest regards, believe me Sincerely Yours Roland Morris

Charles D. Hart, Esquire,

1317 Walnut Street,

Philadelphia, Pa.

Item number

2266

 

Physical Description

Typewritten letter of 2 leaves (20.6 x 26.6) with its original envelope (11.7 x 17.2), typed, stamped and signed.

Condition

Letter folded, light traces of creases, envelope minimally soiled at extremities.

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