The Ambassador to the Polish Government in Exile (Biddle) to President Roosevelt 43
My Dear Mr. President: On several occasions recently Polish Prime Minister Mikolajczyk has asked me whether I thought you might find it convenient to receive him at some time in the not distant future. I told him the first time he asked that I was confident that you would be glad to see him, and that if he wished me to enquire discreetly as to what would be the best time I should be glad to do so. He has accordingly just asked me to ascertain whether you might find it possible to receive him at some date in late November—early December. If so he would immediately make preparations to arrive in Washington about that time.
You may possibly remember him as having accompanied General Sikorski on his first visit to you at the White House. At that time Mikolajczyk was Deputy Prime Minister with the portfolio of Minister of the Interior. Having long played a prominent role in the Polish Peasant Party, he has come to be regarded as the Party’s chief representative outside the country. He has broadened perceptibly in perspective during the past four years, and might today be considered middle road in political outlook. Moreover he takes a considerable pride in claiming to represent continuity in policies conceived and pursued by the late General.
He is a great admirer of yours, and I know it would mean a great deal to him if he were afforded the opportunity of having a talk with [Page 476] you. In the event that you may see your way clear to set a date, I should send you well in advance of his departure an outline of the main points which he might be expected to bring up in the course of discussion.
With warmest regards, and my every good wish, I am
Yours faithfully,
- Copy obtained from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N.Y.↩