Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

The President’s Secretary (Early) to the President’s Administrative Assistant (Daniels)
top secret

From Secretary Early to Jonathan Daniels, White House. Communiqué text will be dispatched tonight. Sent you two declarations today, one on Poland and the second on liberated Europe. Disregard previous instructions and insert these texts where indicated in communiqué. Kill title “Declaration on Poland” and insert without title in text of communiqué according to instructions to come. About one hundred words from beginning make read “are authorized as a commission to consult” instead “are authorized to consult.” About fifty four words from end make read “they recognized that Poland” instead “it is recognized”.1

The following statement should be prepared for release simultaneous with communiqué but should be given out as a separate story,2 not even as an annex: A comprehensive agreement was reached at the Crimea Conference providing detailed arrangements for the protection, maintenance and repatriation of prisoners of war and civilians of the British Commonwealth, Soviet Union and United States liberated by the Allied forces now invading Germany.

Under these arrangements each ally will provide food, clothing, medical attention and other needs for the nationals of the others until transport is available for their repatriation. In caring for British subjects and American citizens the Soviet Government will be assisted by British and American officers. Soviet officers will assist British and American authorities in their task of caring for Soviet citizens liberated by the British and American forces during such time as they are on the continent of Europe or in the United Kingdom, awaiting transport to take them home.

We are pledged to give every assistance consistent with operational requirements to help to ensure that all these prisoners of war and civilians are speedily repatriated.

  1. The insertions and revisions indicated were incorporated in the final text as released. See post, pp. 968975.
  2. This statement was released by the White House, without change, on February 12, 1945.