740.00115 European War 1939/3205: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley)
236. When the Polish Ambassador called on the Under Secretary on May 5 he left a memorandum, the substance of which is in part as follows:90
As the Soviet Government has delayed further in giving effect to clauses which the Polish and Soviet Governments agreed upon concerning (1) Polish military and civilian evacuation to Iran from Russia, (2) additional means for recruiting by Polish military authorities of Polish soldiers in Soviet Russia, (3) delays in effecting the release of both civilian deportees and prisoners of war, the Government of Poland has instructed the Ambassador of Poland at Kuibyshev to present to the Soviet Government a note requesting the fulfillment of obligations undertaken with respect to these three points.
It is added in the memorandum that in view of the importance at this time of completing the evacuation, particularly of the Polish military to Iran, and in order to hasten the reconditioning and equipping of these Polish forces for active service in the Near East, the Polish Ambassador in Washington is instructed to ask the Secretary of State if the Government of the United States could support the efforts of the Government of Poland at Kuibyshev in this matter.
You may in your discretion, whenever suitable opportunities present themselves, express the hope of the American Government that the Soviet authorities make as liberal interpretation as circumstances will permit of its various agreements with the Polish Government. It is believed that in expressing such hopes you will find it possible to make it clear that we have no desire to intervene in differences which are sure to arise from time to time between the two Governments in the carrying out of these agreements or to take sides in disputes with regard to the citizenship of individuals, but that it is our conviction that the display of a generous attitude on the part of the Soviet authorities would materially further the joint war effort by promoting a greater spirit of confidence between two of the most important United Nations of Eastern Europe.
- In his letter of May 13, 1942, to the President when he submitted this telegram for his approval, the Under Secretary of State assured the President that “the substance of the pertinent portions of the memorandum of the Polish Ambassador” was contained in it (740.00114: European War 1939/2334). The President gave his approval.↩