811.7181/372
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador of the Soviet Union (Litvinov)
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the Ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and has the honor to refer to the last paragraph of the Department’s note of June.10, 1942 in which the Ambassador was informed that a communication would be addressed to him on the question of the withholding of Soviet publications, addressed to individuals, organizations, and institutions in the United States, by authorities of this Government.
On the basis of inquiries made of the appropriate agencies of the Government, the Department understands that because of the condition of the international mails only a very small amount of Soviet literature addressed to private parties in this country is now arriving in the United States. Such mail as arrives is, of course, subject to the same censorship as all other private foreign mail. The Department understands further that the greater part of Soviet literature passed by the Censor is now being admitted by the Post Office Department.
In this connection the Secretary of State has the honor to invite the Ambassador’s attention to rules 50 and 305 under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended,18 the texts of which are set forth in the enclosed pamphlet, The Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, As Amended.19 A copy of this pamphlet was transmitted to the Embassy in the Department’s circular note of July 2, 1942.20
In order to insure that no further material in which the Embassy is interested will be excluded from the mails of this Country under the provisions of the above-mentioned Act and pertinent regulations, it is suggested that the Embassy may wish to make the necessary arrangements so that all provisions thereof will be complied with by those Soviet organizations and institutions addressing mail to private parties in the United States.