Foreign Relations of the United States, The Soviet Union, 1933–1939

800.51W89 U.S.S.R./185: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Wiley) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, February 18, 1935—4 p.m.
[Received February 18—11:51 a.m.]

71. My 56, February 9, 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon¹³ Litvinov received Duranty. He showed him in “confidence” the undated memorandum initialed by the President relative to settlement of debts and claims and vigorously attacked American policy. He rejected Duranty’s suggestion to permit publication of memorandum in New York Times but I understand that the Foreign Office censorship passed a despatch from Duranty based on his conversation with Litvinov which was of a provocative nature. The despatch was presumably published in the Times this morning.¹⁴

The American correspondents are urging me to hold regular press conferences. I would be grateful if the Department would indicate to me the attitude to adopt when queried regarding “unpublished documents”.

Wiley

13. February 16.
14. New York Times, February 18, 1935, p. 1, col. 4.