Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XXIII. Russia in decline
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
45°
172 RUSSIA IN DECLINE [chap, xxiii.
in my name amongst their colleagues the assertions of
the Home Secretary. I gave M. Itchas, who was leaving
first, a free hand to make my contradiction known at
once and in any way that he deemed best. He did so
almost on arrival in Petrograd in a letter published in
the Russian Press,
At the same time I wrote a letter to M. Neratoff in
which 1 reiterated that in the event of M. Protopopoff
wishing to uphold his assertions, I should insist on
being recalled, "for it was inadmissible that abroad
and in Russia herself any one could remain under the
impression that either a Russian statesman or a Russian
Minister in a foreign post could be a liar. In
consequence one of the two ought to retire or to be
dismissed."1
Naturally I kept my allied colleagues informed of the
whole incident, and on this occasion they gave me all
their sympathy.
My letter to M. Neratoff crossed with M. Pokrovsky’s
appointment to the post of Minister for Foreign Affairs.
At first this appointment surprised a great many people.
Pokrovsky was held to have been an admirable Minister
of Finance; he had never concerned himself with
questions of foreign policy; he did all he could to
decline the post, but was forced to yield to the will of
the Emperor and the remonstrances of most of his
colleagues and of all honest men. Because, in spite of
his inexperience in diplomatic matters, M. Pokrovsky’s
reputation as far as intelligence, soundness of views
and uprightness of character were concerned, was so
firmly established that every one was enchanted to see
the foreign affairs of the country, above all its relations
with the Allies, in absolutely safe hands. At the
Economic Conference of the Allies which had just
taken place, this man, thoroughly versed in the matter,
calm, modest, and speaking French well—which
facilitated intercourse with him tremendously—had
produced the best impression. As far as I personally was
1 Quoted from memory.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
