760c.61/2296: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Hamilton) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 10—12:45 a.m.]
1618. For the President and the Secretary. This morning Salisbury, of the United Press, and Fleming, of the Columbia Broadcasting System, showed me and allowed me to make a copy in translation of a letter of May 5 addressed by Stalin to Father Orlemanski.55 They were shown the letter by Father Orlemanski and promised that they would not make it public. Father Orlemanski, now en route to the United States, has the letter with him and intends to submit to Catholic authorities in America to decide whether to make it public. Salisbury and Fleming asked that their promise to Father Orlemanski in regard [Page 869] to publicity be observed. Stalin’s letter reads in paraphrased translation as follows:
“1. In your opinion is it admissible for the Soviet Government to follow a policy of coercion and persecution so far as the Catholic Church is concerned?
“Answer. Advocating as I do the freedom of conscience and of worship, I regard such a policy to be precluded and as inadmissible.
“2. In your opinion is cooperation possible with the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII, in the matter of struggle against persecution and coercion of the Catholic Church?
“Answer. In my opinion it is possible.
“3. Father Orlemanski desired that the above questions and answers be not published at present but be handed personally to him. This suggestion was not objected to by Marshal Stalin but Marshal Stalin at the same time said that he had no objection to the publication of these questions and answers should this be considered desirable by Father Orlemanski.
“(Signed) Marshal Stalin.”
Fleming and Salisbury said that in talking with Father Orlemanski before his second interview with Stalin on May 4 they urged upon Father Orlemanski the desirability of endeavoring to obtain something in writing from Marshal Stalin on the religious question. As a result Father Orlemanski during his talk with Marshal Stalin expressed a desire to have a statement on this subject in writing. Marshal Stalin suggested that Orlemanski formulate his questions in writing and submit them. This Orlemanski did and received the letter from Stalin on the evening of May 5. Orlemanski left Moscow for the United States on the morning of May 6.
Fleming and Salisbury said that while Orlemanski had in their opinion come here primarily interested in the Polish question, he felt that Stalin’s letter moved into the much broader field of general relations between the Kremlin and the Catholic Church, that he did not think himself competent to deal with such a broad subject and had therefore decided to submit the letter to Catholic authorities in the United States. Salisbury and Fleming thought that by his letter Stalin had given a definite manifestation of a desire to bring about improved relations between the Soviet Government and the Catholic Church and to remove a present source of friction not only in Soviet-Polish relations but also in relations with the United States and other countries.56 The Embassy agrees with this estimate.
- The Reverend Stanislaus (Stanislaw) Orlemanski was a Roman Catholic priest from Springfield, Massachusetts. Information regarding his visit to the Soviet Union between April 28 and May 6 is given in vol. iii, pp. 1398–1409, passim. ↩
- In regard to the interest of the United States in freedom of religion and religious conditions in the Soviet Union, see pp. 1211 ff.↩