850.01/2–2645: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:32 p.m.]
739. Reference Department’s 341 February 23, 8 p.m. Delivery of secret acknowledgment contained in Department’s 212 February 5, 11 p.m. was made to Erling Foss and Ebbe Munck on February 24. [Page 568] Legation assumed Department will inform British and Soviet authorities of such action deemed desirable.
Foss appeared pleased with the acknowledgment and stated that it would be possible to forward it to the Freedom Council and political party leaders very soon.
In conversation just prior to the delivery of the acknowledgment Christmas Moeller29 showed that he felt rather strongly that it should be shown Kruse30 (who he said had seen the appeal from Denmark) and gave the impression that he hoped that it might be transmitted through Kruse. It was explained to him that in the view of officers of the Legation if the American Government had intended to transmit the acknowledgment through a Danish Minister abroad, it would have been done through Minister Kauffmann in Washington; however, it seemed preferable to send it through secret channels similar to those through [which] the original appeal was sent to the American Government. It was added that once the message had been placed in Danish hands its use would be determined by them but that he must understand that the American Government could accept no responsibility for the consequences of wide dissemination which might result in publicity.
It was suggested to Moeller that he leave it up to same circles who had informed Kruse of message to inform him—or not—of acknowledgment. In Legation’s opinion this channel may well have been Moeller himself. As Department is aware, Kruse is not taken very much into confidence of Foss and Munck.
When the message was delivered to Foss it was suggested to him that as a matter of courtesy he might wish to show it to Moeller, to which Foss agreed. We have it as his opinion that the message would be very carefully handled in Denmark to avoid undue publicity.