841.54261/1
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
No. 6107
London, October 28,
1942.
[Received November 14.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit copies of
two letters with enclosures, addressed to Mr. W. Averell Harriman, by
Sir Alexander Cadogan, Permanent Under Secretary of State in the Foreign
Office, dated respectively September 9 and October 7, 1942,52 concerning the conclusion
between the British and Soviet governments of an agreement for the
interchange of information respecting warlike inventions. With the first
of these letters Sir Alexander Cadogan enclosed the draft text of such
an agreement and mentioned that he would be interested in knowing should
the American Government decide at some future date to conclude an
agreement of a similar nature with the Soviet Government. In his second
letter of October 7, 1942, Sir Alexander Cadogan stated that the British
draft had been accepted by the Soviet Government and that notes had been
exchanged between the two Governments on September 29, 1942.
There is also enclosed a copy of a memorandum given me by Mr. Harriman
explaining the circumstances under which this question developed in the
course of his trip to Moscow with the Prime Minister,53
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and suggesting the utility of
the conclusion of a similar agreement between the United States and
Soviet Russia. After talking with Mr. Harriman, I am taking up this
question with the Department and both he and I would be grateful for an
early indication of the Department’s views and suggestions as to what
steps, if any, might appropriately be taken in this matter.
Respectfully yours,
For the Ambassador:
H. Freeman Matthews
Counselor of Embassy
[Enclosure]
Memorandum by Mr. W. Averell
Harriman, Special Representative of President
Roosevelt, to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom
(Winant)
London, October 20,
1942.
Last week I gave you Sir Alexander Cadogan’s letters of September 9
and October 7 regarding the British-Soviet agreement to interchange
information about warlike inventions and agreed to give you a
memorandum on the background.
This subject came up rather informally in one of the meetings in
Moscow between the Prime Minister and Stalin in which I
participated. The Prime Minister explained to Stalin the reasons for
withholding from the Soviet Government information about certain
radio inventions. This explanation satisfied Stalin as the Prime
Minister had made it clear that this secrecy was in the mutual
interest. The Prime Minister said however that all other information
on inventions and developments, except for a few cases similar to
the one under discussion, would be made available to the Russians if
they so desired.
Stalin replied that he would be glad to furnish the British with any
of the Soviet developments and specifically offered to show the
military members of the party on the following day a new type
projectile which he said had proved of great value.
The Prime Minister then suggested to Stalin that these mutual offers
might be formalized into an agreement. It was thereupon arranged
that Cadogan would meet with Molotov to draft such an agreement.
At this juncture I suggested that the President might well wish to
make a similar agreement with the Soviet Government.
It was agreed that Cadogan would advise me of the understanding
reached between Molotov and himself and that I would take the matter
up with the President. We rather expected that the language would be
agreed upon while we were in Moscow and that I would
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cable to Washington. As you see,
however, the discussions have lasted for many weeks and it is only
recently that an understanding has been reached.
It seems clear to me that an agreement should be reached promptly
between the Government of the United States and the Soviet
Government for the following reasons:
- (a)
- That the information will be of mutual value in the
prosecution of the war;
- (b)
- That such agreement will be another link between the two
Governments;
- (c)
- That as we interchange information freely with the British
it would be embarrassing to the British if we did not have a
similar agreement with the Russians.
