760C.61/1011: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley) to the Secretary of State

179. Department’s 131, March 11, 10 p.m. The Polish Ambassador has advised me of his conversation with Molotov on March 971 during which he protested against the following recent actions of the Soviet Government.

[Page 351]
1.
Continued arrests of Embassy relief representatives. An additional 21 agents this year for reasons unknown to the Polish Embassy.
2.
Effectuation of the citizenship terms of the Soviet [note] of January 16. Hundreds of Polish citizens are being forced to accept Soviet citizenship. Refusal results in arrest and some cases of Poles being beaten or deprived of food have been reported.
3.
Refusal to permit families of Polish soldiers serving abroad to leave the Soviet Union.
4.
Sovietization of Polish welfare institutions, orphanages, homes for invalids and schools.

Romer stated that Molotov had flatly refused to entertain his representation in the premises. He added that he hoped to continue his discussions in a few days and declared that unless there was an immediate cessation of the persecution of the Poles it would be impossible for him to remain here any longer as Ambassador. Upon inquiry I outlined the present position of my Government in regard to Polish-Soviet relations. He stated that he would keep me informed of his negotiations and if no satisfactory solution seemed likely he would ask that we and the British consider the advisability of bringing our influences to bear on the Soviet Government.

Standley
  1. For excerpts from Ambassador Homer’s conversation with Foreign Commissar Molotov at the Kremlin, March 9, 1943, see Polish-Soviet Relations, 1918–1943, Official Documents, pp. 225–235.