860C.01/3–745: Telegram
The Chargé to the Polish Government in Exile (Schoenfeld) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received March 7—5:10 p.m.]
Poles 35. ReDepts Poles 5, March 5, midnight96 and Moscow’s 618 to Department and 91 to London March 3, 7 p.m. I cannot avoid the conclusion that it would be singularly unfortunate if an invitation were not extended to Mikolajczyk to attend the initial consultations which the Moscow Commission will have with the Poles.
If Mikolajczyk should feel that he could not accept such an invitation because his conditions were not adequately met (my Poles 25 to Department and 68 to Moscow, February 24 (10 p.m.) the burden of refusal would in that case rest on him and not on us.
It is my guess that his “conditions” were not to be regarded as rigid and that if the points were informally discussed with him he would be reasonable.
I regard it as genuinely important that he should be present at Moscow. Among the Poles here who are sincerely seeking a settlement [Page 145] he is the dominant force. He is one of the few who sees the overall picture. He has a full knowledge of the facts, is resourceful and basically constructive. He would doubtless be a highly useful source of knowledge and of suggestions for the Commission. Despite his strong sense of independence I believe he is a realist. His cooperation would be of great value and his endorsement of the results of the discussions would carry weight with substantial sections of opinion Polish and otherwise.
His absence from the discussions, on the other hand, would, I fear, invite considerable criticism.
Repeated to Moscow as 92; sent Department as Poles 35.
- Not printed.↩