Štefánik, I again went to the Russian Embassy and officially submitted the demand of the National Council to Legation Councillor Sebastopulo, the Ambassador Izvolsky not being present. I again received a promise of support and sanction in principle. A few days later, on June 30th, I proceeded officially as General Secretary to my first audience with M. de Margerie, then political director of the French Foreign Ministry and now French Ambassador in Berlin. Both Sebastopulo and de Margerie told me candidly that Dürich’s journey was a political blunder, and that chiefly for that reason they agreed to Štefánik’s journey, hoping that this would obviate at least any very serious mistakes and predicaments.
These were my first dealings with de Margerie and Berthelot who rendered us such extensive and important services in the later course of the war. What actually happened on that occasion was that the National Council had been officially recognized by the French Foreign Ministry, which for the first time negotiated with the National Council and with me as its Secretary, in a matter of such far-reaching political significance. This method of action was then always adhered to, and it was clear that our political position in France was becoming stronger every day.
In accordance with the decision of the Ministry, Štefánik at once discussed his mission with the Ministry of War. Even at that early date he conferred with Admiral Lacaze on the technical preparations which would be necessary to transport our troops via Vladivostok and Archangelsk to France. After his departure I continued the work very energetically, and from that time onwards we kept it continually in view. By a combination of circumstances it concluded with the famous Siberian anabasis.
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At that time we in Paris established our first direct contact with our political and military fellow-workers in Russia. Hitherto we had been in touch with them only by correspondence. On March 16, 1916, B. Pavlů arrived in Paris from Russia. He had been sent by our people in Petrograd to give us an account of the situation in the East, and to view the state of affairs in the West, upon which he was then to report to Russia. In this way it was intended to strengthen the unity of the whole movement, as the uncertainty and the disagreements
