361.1121 Kudrasheff, Alexander
The Minister in Norway (
Swenson
) to
the Secretary of State
Oslo
,
November 22,
1926
.
[Received December 21.]
No. 903
Sir: I have the honor to report that in
compliance with the Department’s instruction No. 298 of August 26, 1926,
the case of Kudrasheff, Chevalier, and Kopman was taken up with the
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which promised to use its good
offices with a view to securing the release of the three Americans
imprisoned in Soviet Russia.
The Legation is now in receipt of the enclosed note, dated the eighteenth
instant, from the Norwegian Foreign Office, in which is transmitted a
self-explanatory excerpt from the report of the Norwegian Minister at
Moscow to his government in this matter.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Norwegian Under Secretary of Foreign
Affairs (
Esmarch
) to the American
Minister (
Swenson
)
Oslo
,
November 18,
1926
.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to advise
you that the Foreign Office upon receipt of your memorandum of the
thirteenth ultimo regarding the three American citizens, Kudrasheff,
Chevalier, and Kopman, imprisoned in Soviet Russia, authorized the
legation in Moscow to make representations in the matter to the
Soviet authorities with a view to securing the three gentlemen’s
freedom or at least to have accorded to them such privileges as
might be granted.
In this connection I have the honor to forward herewith a transcript
of a note dated the eighth instant from the above-mentioned
legation, together with the enclosure referred to therein.2
It is requested that the Legation’s note be regarded as confidential.
Upon the receipt of additional information in the case I shall
immediately advise you.
[Page 650]
Remaining as always gladly at your service in this matter, I beg
[etc.]
[Subenclosure—Translation]
Excerpt From Report of Norwegian Minister in Russia to the Norwegian Foreign Office
Moscow
,
November 8,
1926
.
To the Royal Norwegian Foreign Office: On
the third instant I had a conference with Litvinoff in which I
brought up this case. … I delivered the documents to Litvinoff,
stating that the American Minister at Oslo had addressed himself to
me in the matter and that I felt I should acquaint Litvinoff with
the case even though I could not act officially in it. I chose this
form because I feared that if I made representations on behalf of
the Norwegian Government, I would simply meet with a blank
refusal.
Litvinoff replied that he could not receive any official
representation from me in such a matter. But the Soviet Government
did not wish American citizens to be treated with injustice, so he
would gladly look into the case. He thereupon perused the papers I
had brought and remarked that two of the persons concerned, namely
Kudrasheff and Kopman, were born in Russia. Even if they had later
become naturalized American citizens, they would be regarded and
treated as Russian citizens as soon as they returned to Russia. When
a person in their position sought a visa to enter Russia, he was
obliged, if he intended to return for good, to sign a declaration to
the effect that he should be regarded as a Russian citizen from the
moment he set foot on Russian territory. If he sought a visa for a
shorter sojourn in Russia he was advised that as long as he remained
in Russia he would be regarded as a Russian citizen. These
regulations were not new. The same had applied in Russia before the
revolution.
There was nothing to be done for two of the persons in question, but
he kept the documents for all three and promised to investigate the
case.
At a later date I shall again address myself to Litvinoff in order to
hear whether he can give me any information. I enquired whether
there was any way, as for example through the political red cross,
that help could be sent to the arrested men, but he advised me not
to take any steps in this direction.3
I enclose a copy of the excerpt which I delivered to Litvinoff.4
As regards Chevalier, I believe that the representation made may lead
to his release. The prospect for the others is very poor, but [Page 651] results are by no means
hopeless for them. I can do nothing more for the present, but the
question of getting some help sent to them can in any case be taken
up again, if the American Government wishes me to make a new effort.
I think it unlikely that they would refuse to receive packages
containing clothing and food, which one wished to send them.
Prisoners in Russia as a rule are allowed to receive such
parcels.
[File copy not signed]