740.0011 European War 1939/399: Telegram
The Minister in Rumania (Gunther) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 18—7:30 p.m.]
205. Following from Biddle.48
“7, September 17, 11 a.m. With touching earnestness of a soldier statesman fighting desperately to hold together the remnants of his army and nation against tremendous odds Beck implored me to ask you whether (if the occasion arose whereby you might care to reiterate your statement regarding likelihood of our neutrality legislation’s permitting raw material shipments to Britain and France) you might see your way clear to include Poland in such a statement. Beck said he realized impracticability of American raw material shipments to Poland and even if not one ton reached here your mention of Poland in above sense would prove of inestimable moral value towards (a) inspiring Britain to more than hitherto and now essential drive as means of relieving pressure on Polish front (Beck discernibly feels British are still pulling their punch), moreover his reports indicate London now giving excuse for refraining from large scale bombing of communications and industrial areas that same might have unfavorable effect on our public opinion and in particular upon our neutrality legislation. In my opinion this thesis if maintained would prove fatal to Polish Army which sorely needs encouragement and breathing spell for reconsolidation; (b) diminishing barbaric character of German onslaught and precluding further German hope for separating Poland from her allies. Biddle.”
- Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, Jr., American Ambassador to Poland, then in Rumania.↩