741.6111/58
The Polish Prime Minister (Sikorski) to President Roosevelt 8
Mr. President: I am writing to express my most cordial thanks for the continuous and fruitful support which you, Mr. President, were kind enough to give to the Polish Government in their defence of Polish interests during the many months of the British-Soviet negotiations. These negotiations finally brought with them the vindication of principles the respect of which is an indispensable condition of a lasting and just peace; ideals for which the Polish nation and its Armed Forces abroad are fighting, and will continue to fight implacably. [Page 156] You, Mr. President, have become the custodian and interpreter of these principles in the sphere of international relations,—in conformity with the age-long traditions of the great North-American democracy of which you are the leader and spokesman.
The political and moral solidarity of the United Nations has been preserved at this crucial moment. German propaganda has been denied an opportunity to exploit for its benefit the agreement of the great democracies with Soviet Russia, while the peoples of the Soviet Union will find a new encouragement in their struggle against the Teutonic invader. I emphasized this view before Mr. Eden and M. Molotov while congratulating them on the favourable results which they were able to achieve. If, however, Soviet Russia is to remain true to the positive political role which it proposes to play, words must be followed by deeds.
Apart from the release of the surviving officers deported to the Northern provinces of Russia, accessible only during the short summer months, the Polish Government, relying on their undoubted rights, are gravely concerned with two main problems: The resumption of recruiting of Polish citizens to the Polish Army, which has been stopped by the Soviet authorities, and their subsequent evacuation,—and secondly the removal of 50,000 children from Russia. The latter have scarcely any chance of surviving the difficult conditions existing in Russia and owing to their poor physical condition are being decimated by disease. They are a priceless treasure vouchsafing the future of the Polish people, which is being ceaselessly exterminated in the homeland. The enclosed photographs9 show the state of Polish children who arrived in Persia from Russia. These unfortunate children had already spent several months recuperating under the care of the Polish Embassy.
As far as the Polish Army is concerned, the Soviet authorities cannot be said to implement their verbal and written agreements. The Polish Army is not being provided with arms and this fact is being subsequently used as an argument against the Poles. Therefore, it is in the mutual interest of the future relations between Poland and Russia that; 1) the Polish Army in Russia should be speedily armed and thus enabled to fight against Germany. 2) The enrollment in the Army should be resumed and at least 49,000 men should be recruited from among the able-bodied Polish citizens covered by the existing but not yet fully executed agreement. One half of this number would reinforce Polish units in the Middle East and in Great Britain. In view of the steady drain on the personnel of the Polish Air Force, the merit of which is generally recognised and of which 101 crews took part in the two recent mass bombing raids on Germany, replacements [Page 157] are indispensable. The same may be said of the Polish Navy, which recently lost three warships and two transports torpedoed by the Germans while in convoys, carrying war supplies to Russia and Libya. The Polish Land Forces which only recently acquitted themselves with credit in Tobruk and the Libian desert are in a similar position.
If I venture to appeal to you personally, Mr. President, for support in these matters—as I have already appealed to Mr. Churchill—it is because I wish to leave out considerations of prestige voiced by Monsieur Molotov in his conversations with me in London. I believe that should the Soviet Government persevere in their attitude, they could hardly expect to avoid a public discussion on the subject, from which only Germany and her satellites could reap an advantage.
I trust, Mr. President, that you will appreciate the reasons which prompted me to approach you once more with the most earnest appeal for full and strong support by such means and in such ways as [you] may consider appropriate—to the endeavours of the Polish Government to bring about a resumption of the arbitrarily suspended recruiting and evacuation of the enrolled soldiers and also the removal of 50,000 Polish children from Russia. The very serious food situation in Russia adds urgency to my appeal.
Believe me, Mr. President,
Yours very sincerely,