760C.61/991a
Memorandum by the Polish Ambassador (Ciechanowski)87
Polish-Soviet Relations
The Ambassador expressed great pleasure in being able to communicate to the Under Secretary of State that he had been informed on the 23rd of October by Count Raczyński that, undoubtedly owing to the interventions authorized by the President and carried out by the United States Embassy in Moscow, and lastly by the Honorable Wendell L. Willkie, as personal emissary of the President,—the Soviet authorities had informed the Polish Chargé d’Affaires, Minister Sokolnicki, that the investigation conducted against the arrested officials and delegates for relief work of the Polish Embassy In Russia had now been concluded and that as a result of this investigation fifteen of the arrested persons had been found innocent and their release ordered; seventy-eight persons were regarded as allegedly guilty of anti-USSR, activities and were to be expelled from Russia. As regards the remaining sixteen officials, proceedings would be instituted as the Soviet authorities alleged that they had proof of activities of a serious nature against them.
The newly appointed Polish Ambassador, Mr. Tadeusz Romer, who has just arrived in Soviet Russia, is of the opinion that this step on the part of the Soviet authorities is a proof that there is a tendency to carry out the promise recently made to Mr. Willkie88 of trying to clarify and improve Polish-Soviet relations and this is a signal proof that the American intervention with Premier Stalin has proved effective. Ambassador Romer thinks that he may succeed in obtaining a change of attitude regarding the above mentioned sixteen officials against whom proceedings are to be instituted and obtaining their release.
The Polish Ambassador would like to take this earliest opportunity of expressing to the United States Government the warmest and most sincere thanks on behalf of the Polish Government for the invaluable help given to Poland in this matter, and also would be Most grateful if, pending the arrival of Prime Minister General Sikorski, the thanks of Prime Minister General Sikorski could likewise be conveyed to the President.