861.24/9–744: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:49 p.m.]
3364. ReDept’s 2129, September 4, 10 p.m.24 I hesitate to take up the question of the Department’s aide-mémoire of July 6 without knowing how firm is the Department’s position in regard to this question of retransfer to third countries of lend-lease materials. Is it our policy to insist on the Soviet Government’s agreement to the extent of declining to sign the Protocol until it is received? I have doubts whether the Soviets will agree to it until this is made plain.
Although I have no information, lend-lease or similar items may now be moving into liberated countries. As the Department doubtless knows, the Polish Army is receiving considerable lend-lease equipment from the Soviet Government. At a time when the Polish forces in the Soviet Union were small units of the Red Army, this was perhaps justifiable without our consent. On the other hand, it would seem that the situation had changed in that the Polish forces are now a recognized army of a Polish political entity with which the Soviet Government has established relations.
- Not printed; it suggested informal inquiries as to when a reply to Department’s aide-mémoire of July 6 might be expected (861.24/8–2544).↩