860C.24/109: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador to the Polish Government in Exile (Biddle), at London
Polish Series No. 23. Following telegram has been sent to Moscow but is repeated to you that you may inform General Sikorsky of the contents thereof in connection with Sikorsky’s conversation reported in London’s 4419 of September 20, midnight:
“For Harriman from the President. Shortly before the middle of this month, with your knowledge, the Polish Ambassador here, in reply to an inquiry from him as to the possibility of sending a Polish representative with your mission, was informed that the terms of the Roosevelt–Churchill proposal and Stalin’s letter of acceptance provided for an Anglo-American mission and that therefore there could be no Polish participation in it. He was told that if the Polish Government wished to raise the question of American supplies to the Polish forces in Russia, it would be more appropriate for the matter to be taken up direct with your mission while you were in London and later for the Polish Government to keep in touch with you through the Polish Embassy in Moscow.
We feel that it would be preferable to deal with the needs of the Polish forces in Moscow direct with the Poles while you are in the Soviet Union for two reasons: (1) We have already decided that Poland is to receive the benefit of Lend-Lease appropriations. Such a decision has not yet been made with regard to Russia. It would therefore be difficult to furnish through Lend-Lease arms and equipment to the Poles through Russia. (2) It is believed that it would be in conformity with our policy of maintaining so far as possible Polish prestige and influence in Eastern Europe for us to deal direct with the Poles with regard to the supplying of the Polish forces in Russia since such direct negotiations would be likely to enhance the [Page 255] prestige and stress the individuality of those forces now as well as in the future.
Of course any negotiations which you may have with the Poles should be carried on in cooperation with and the consent of the British and Russians since both the British and the Russians must share responsibility for the transport and delivery to the Polish forces of such supplies as we may be able to make available to them.
In case either the Russians or the British should object to your carrying on direct negotiations with the Poles please inform us offering at the same time any suggestions which you may have with regard to the best procedure to be followed.”