361.1121 Nausiainen, Elmer J./4
The Chargé in the Soviet Union ( Kirk ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 3.]
Sir: With reference to the Embassy’s despatch No. 1613 of August 31, 1938 (File No. 130–Nousiainen, Elmer J.)26 concerning the disappearance of Mr. Elmer John Nousiainen, and to the Embassy’s despatch [Page 905] No. 1958 of December 21, 1938 (File No. 320),27 on the subject of American citizens of dual nationality believed to be under arrest in the Soviet Union, I have the honor to state that the Embassy received a note, dated December 28, 1938, from the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, in which it was stated that the competent Soviet authorities have no information in their possession regarding the whereabouts of Elmer John Nousiainen. It might also be mentioned that a responsible official of the Soviet Foreign Office also informed a Secretary of the Embassy orally, that the People’s Commissariat had particularly endeavored to investigate the alleged arrest or disappearance of Mr. Nousiainen but the Soviet internal authorities had advised the People’s Commissariat that the Militsiya actually had no information regarding the whereabouts of this person. However, the Embassy received a letter, dated January 12, 1939, from Mrs. Hanna Nousiainen, the mother of Elmer John Nousiainen, in which she asserts that a reliable individual has informed her that he saw the representatives of the Soviet secret police leading her son off in their custody.
It can only be concluded by the circumstances of the disappearance of Mr. Nousiainen that the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is still unable to obtain information from the Soviet internal authorities regarding imprisoned Soviet citizens for distribution to diplomatic representatives of other nations even though the Soviet citizens who are in the custody of the internal authorities may be considered by the diplomatic representatives as possessing dual nationality.
Respectfully yours,
Chief of Consular Section