311.6121 Gorin, M. N./42: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt)
342. Your 550, March 20, 9 p.m. The Soviet Ambassador for some time has been pressing us to take some action which would permit Gorin to return to the Soviet Union without serving his sentence. [Page 944] You will recall that Gorin was sentenced to a term of 6 years and to pay a fine of $10,000. More recently the Ambassador has stated that he has reason to believe that his Government would be disposed to release certain American citizens now imprisoned in the Soviet Union if the United States Court would release Gorin on probation and on condition that he leave the country immediately. After consultation with the President, we addressed a letter under date of March 20 to the Department of Justice to the effect that certain international considerations cause the Department to believe that it would be to the interests of the United States for Mr. Gorin to be released on probation and on condition that he leave the country.
We have informed the Ambassador of our action and have told him that we expect the Soviet authorities not only to release Rozhkovski, Pyk and Devenis but also to permit the Soviet wives of American citizens, including Mrs. Habicht together with her children, to leave the Soviet Union.
It is expected that action with respect to Gorin will be taken within the next few days. We shall notify you by telegram in case he is released so that you will be able to press for the cases of the American citizens and of the Soviet wives and children.
In your conversations you may point out that the Department of State has acted in an unprecedented manner in taking steps which in effect amount to recommending the release of a person whose sentence to prison for espionage has been confirmed by the United States Supreme Court and that the justification of these steps has been the confidence of the President and of the Department that the American citizens in jail in the Soviet Union will be released at once and that permission will be granted for the remaining wives of American citizens to leave that country together with their children.