760C.61/3–2343
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
The Ambassador of Poland called at his request and proceeded to hand me a communication, a copy of which is hereto attached,83 referring to alleged measures being applied by the Soviet Government to the Polish relief organization in Soviet Russia. The Ambassador emphasized the subject matter of the communication and elaborated on it to some extent. When he concluded, I said that, according to information conveyed to me by Mr. Loy Henderson of the European Division after talking with the Ambassador yesterday, it was my understanding that the Ambassador had this same question up with the President, and that in accordance with the Ambassador’s statement [Page 362] to Mr. Henderson, the President had said in substance that he sympathized with the Polish complaints and would endeavor to do something about the matter, but that he would have to select his own time and method of doing it. I stated that, while I sympathized very earnestly with the Polish complaint, about the most effective thing that I might be able to do at the moment would be to bring the essential facts once again to the attention of the President. In reply, the Ambassador indicated that the President had said that little or nothing could be done through ordinary diplomatic channels, to which I agreed. The Ambassador went on to say that it was important to invoke diplomatic intervention in this connection for the reason that while the Soviets might offer a rebuff or a refusal, they would probably receive Polish officials and discuss the matter with them. I again discounted this to a substantial extent, but said that all phases of the matter would be kept in mind.