311.6121 Gorin, M. N./4: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kirk)
Washington, December
16, 1938—7 p.m.
180. Your 422, December 14, 4 p.m.65 The press has given considerable publicity to the arrest of Gorin. According to various newspapers:
- 1.
- Gorin, manager of the Los Angeles branch of Intourist, and Hafis Salich, naturalized American of Russian birth and an alleged employee of Naval Intelligence, were arrested December 12 by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and are being held in the Los Angeles County jail subject to bail of $25,000 each.66
- 2.
- They have been accused of espionage including the despatch of United States Naval Intelligence documents relating to Japanese espionage to the Soviet Government.
- 3.
- Gorin has been in constant communication with the Soviet representatives since his arrest. Ivanoushkin, Soviet vice consul in New York, has flown to Los Angeles to investigate the case.
- 4.
- Gorin was not entitled to diplomatic immunity and the case was solely within the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice.
- 5.
- They were arraigned on December 13 and December 24 has been set for the hearing. The case will be taken before a Federal Grand Jury.
Welles