Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, General, The Soviet Union, Volume I

711.61/833

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Atherton)

[Extract]⁹

[Washington,] June 30, 1941.

The Soviet Ambassador called on me at his request.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3. He then referred to the request he made to me last week and I stated in principle we had no objection to their renting the property in Rock Creek Park¹⁰ and the erection of a receiving antenna. As soon as I had a note from him defining definitely where the property would be located we would formally let him know. The Ambassador was very appreciative and said he would see that we had both the Russian and the English of every message received. He felt that such reception made available to the United States General Staff would be of great interest to them as well as to the State Department.

4. He then referred to the two air attachés who he said were now in San Francisco. He said that if they had through over-zeal overstepped the bounds he felt sure it was not intentional. I said that we had made our protest based on information from the War Department and had written the Soviet Ambassador on the subject¹¹ but had received no reply from him. He said, “I understand your technical point”.¹² I then said in liquidation of the past I felt that if we had the Ambassador’s personal assurances that these men would abide by the regulations of the War Department that I could take up his request with the War Department authorities that these officers be allowed to remain in the country¹³ and I felt certain the chances were on the recommendation of the War Department. I said I would confirm my remarks to him tomorrow and he seemed grateful.

5. He then referred to the limited freedom of movement of himself and Soviet officials in this country. I said I understood Mr. Page had given him a general waiver and I assumed the same thing had been done in Moscow. I pointed out to him, however, that these restrictions were placed on Soviet officials in this country¹⁴ with considerable regret but such action had been forced upon us by discrimination against American officials in Moscow.¹⁵ The Ambassador said there was discrimination against Soviet officials in this country in that they were the only diplomats with limited freedom of movement. I told the Soviet Ambassador that categorical statements should be qualified because his statement was inaccurate to say the least.

6. He then took up the case of Mr. Ovakimian.¹⁶ He urged that he be deported. He said that through Mr. Donald Richberg¹⁷ he had ascertained that Justice would agree to this if the State Department was agreeable and he would point out that a Japanese espionage case had recently been solved by the intervention of the State Department and the Japanese subjects allowed to depart. He said this was a precedent. I said to the Soviet Ambassador that this was not a case in which I could give him any information since other Departments of the Government were involved with whom I had not consulted. I said I hoped to be able to make some suggestions to him in the near future.

In the end we discussed the Russian war front for some time and he said he was convinced that the first onslaught of the Germans had been met and held and that was all the Russians could hope for against the terrific blitz of these last days.

Ray Atherton

9. The omitted portion is concerned with technicalities arising from the breaking of relations between the Soviet Union and the French Government at Vichy on this day. For correspondence on the relations between the Soviet Union and France, see pp. 155 ff.
10. In Washington, D. C., and the State of Maryland.
11. Ante, p. 621.
12. Regarding the rejection of Ambassador Umansky’s note of June 14, 1941, as unacceptable, see memorandum of June 17, by Mr. Edward Page, Jr., p. 622.
13. See memorandum of July 14, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of European Affairs, p. 629.
14. See note of June 7 to the Ambassador of the Soviet Union, p. 883.
15. See telegram No. 991, May 17, 4 p.m., from the Ambassador in the Soviet Union, p. 881.
16. For correspondence regarding arrests of American and Soviet citizens and arrangements for return to their own countries, see pp. 926 ff.
17. Member of Davies, Richberg, Bebe, Busick and Richardson, lawyers, Washington, D. C.