860c.24/54
The Minister in Poland (Pearson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s telegrams No. 1 January 5, 4 P.M., and No. 46 June 4 [3], 7 P.M. (1925) concerning a contract between the Polish Government and the Colt Arms Company, for furnishing Browning automatic rifles to the Polish Army, and to transmit, herewith, a copy of a Memorandum dated June 24, 1925, from the American Commercial Attache, Mr. Leighton W. Rogers, as follows:
“The matter of the contract with the Colt Arms Co. of Hartford, Conn., for furnishing Browning automatic rifles to the Polish Army, has struck another snag.
“Mr. Rudnicki, the Polish representative, called me on the telephone last night and informed me that after the details of the contract had been argued out for months by himself and the Polish army purchasing authorities, and that after it had been approved by the army authorities, it was taken yesterday to Mr. Grabski for his signature. Mr. Grabski withheld his signature stating that he could not approve of certain important clauses of the contract. Mr. Rudnicki stated that everyone was greatly surprised inasmuch as they had been led to believe that the most difficult part of the negotiations were over. Mr. Rudnicki states that in his opinion the French have been continuing their activities and that through influence which they have with the family of the President of the Republic, they have been working on Mr. Grabski to hold up these negotiations.
“I told Mr. Rudnicki that there is not much that my office can do about it in view of instructions from Washington with which he is already familiar. I send you this memorandum in order to keep you in touch with the progress of the matter, which we have all been watching with interest.”
I have [etc.]