860C.00/10–2745: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Poland (Lane)

254. Reurtel 477 of October 27. Dept agrees that it is inadvisable to urge definite date for elections upon Polish Government. However, [Page 399] Dept believes that you should take advantage of any suitable opportunity to remind the Polish Government that under the Yalta and Potsdam agreements it is pledged “to the holding of free and unfettered elections as soon as possible on the basis of universal suffrage and secret ballot in which all democratic and anti-Nazi parties shall have the right to take part and to put forward candidates” and, in your discretion, to point out that such elections would undoubtedly contribute materially to popular support in this country for any program of aid to Poland which might be under consideration.

Byrnes