124.616/381: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 6—4:48 p.m.]
1299. Department’s telegram dated July 4.16 I very much appreciate the information contained in the Department’s telegram under reference which coincides with my own impressions of the present military position.
We have thus far received the Berlin radio broadcasts with a fair degree of regularity although they are now being heavily jammed by Soviet interference making reception difficult and uncertain.
It is my intention not to leave Moscow until the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs does so. I am however by no means certain that the Diplomatic Corps will receive notice of the intention of the Government to depart, as every attempt by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, my colleagues and myself to extract information from Molotov, Vyshinski,17 or Lozovski as to the Government’s plans in this respect has met a flat refusal to discuss the subject. The Iranian Ambassador18 who is now Dean of the Corps is seeing Lozovski again this afternoon regarding the question.
I intend to seek permission from Lozovski on Monday to open a temporary consular office in Sverdlovsk or in some other city east of Moscow or in the alternative to send several members of my staff to such city to arrange for quarters. I assume in this connection that the Department understands that it will not be possible for me to send members of this Mission on such an assignment unless and until the Soviet [Page 895] authorities give their consent and that it is probable they will withhold such consent pending their own decision as to when the Government should move, as they undoubtedly feel that the transfer from Moscow to another city of any members of the staffs of the various missions would start a rumor that the Government is leaving.