861.24/746½
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Edward Page, Jr., of the Division of European Affairs
Mr. Meiklejohn37 telephoned this morning from New York and stated that Mr. Harriman had already left for London. He said that [Page 861] Mr. Harriman desired him to take up with me as a member of the Harriman Mission and not as an officer of the State Department, the following matter. He said that Mr. Harriman was quite concerned on reading the Department’s cable of November 537a to the American Embassy in Moscow concerning the shipment of petroleum, refining and cracking equipment to the Soviet Union. Mr. Harriman did not believe that the cable in question presented an accurate picture and was of the opinion that the Department had taken an unrealistic attitude which any member of the Harriman Mission would have seriously questioned. He believed that the cable would make the Russians suspicious of our sincerity, especially with regard to that portion of the cable concerning the sending of American technicians to the Soviet Union, and would not help in building up confidence. As far as Mr. Harriman was aware, Mr. Petty of the Office of the Oil Administrator and a former member of the Mission, and Mr. Batt, OPM and also a member of the Mission, had not been consulted.
Mr. Meiklejohn stated that according to his information Mr. Berle38 had called a conference in the Department some weeks ago and that the telegram in question had been sent on the basis of a memorandum drawn up in the conference. He stated that although Mr. Hazard39 had been present at the conference, he had not approved of the cable since he did not have authority to do so and did not get a copy of the cable until November 11.
Mr. Meiklejohn said, on the part of Mr. Harriman, that now that aid to the Soviet Union was under lend-lease, matters relative to supplies to the Soviet Union should be worked out through Mr. Stettinius and Mr. Hopkins and that the lend-lease authorities should be closely consulted before any action is taken. I had the impression that Mr. Harriman did not believe that the conference should have been called by the Department.
Mr. Meiklejohn stated that Mr. Harriman realized that there had been some misunderstanding and did not wish to criticize. However, he desired the Department to acquaint Mr. Batt with the entire story and to be guided by any of his suggestions. Mr. Harriman realized that the telegram cannot be recalled; however, he hoped that such a matter would not happen again. Mr. Meiklejohn emphasized the necessity of consulting with Mr. Stettinius, Mr. Hopkins and the lend-lease authorities on all questions concerning supplies and equipment to the Soviet Union.