740.0011 European War 1939/26685
The Ambassador to the Polish Government in Exile (Biddle) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 23.]
Sir: Supplementing my Despatch Polish Series No. 231 of November 9, 1942, I have the honor to attach hereto copies of a translation of an Aide-Mémoire, which was recently given the Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs on October 31, 1942, by the Soviet Ambassador to the [Page 204] Polish Government.93 A similar Aide-Mémoire was handed simultaneously to the Polish Ambassador in the U. S. S. R. by M. Molotov.
In handing me a copy of the attached, Polish Foreign Minister Raczynski said that he had sent a note to the Soviet Ambassador protesting against the form and the innuendos of the Aide-Mémoire;94 that he had, at the same time, informed the Ambassador that the Polish Government would give a considered reply as soon as it was in the possession of all the confiscated documents and archives of the Embassy Delegates. This last point had already been raised by the Polish Ambassador in Kuibishev in his talk with M. Molotov on October 30, 1942.
Minister Raczynski further told me that he was awaiting detailed reports from those “men of trust” who had been released from Soviet prisons.
There was no need, Minister Raczynski said, for him to assure me that the accusations brought against members of the Polish Embassy in Kuibishev, and against the Polish “men of trust” by the Soviet authorities, of indulging in spying and intelligence activities, were as groundless as allusions made that such activities were conducted by Polish officials for the benefit of the British and American Governments.
Respectfully yours,