861.24/3–2245: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 22—3:43 p.m.]
862. ReEmbs 539, February 24, 2 p.m. General Spalding has had several talks with the Vice Commissar for, Foreign Trade regarding our requirement of Soviet Government to give us full information about transfers of Lend-Lease or similar items to third countries already made and to obtain our prior approval in future such transfers. Although he has had verbal explanations of some of the transactions, no other results have been obtained.
We now have an increasing number of cases in connection with the Poles. Polpress reported several days ago that 500 motor trucks were presented by Marshal Stalin to the Provisional Government for Warsaw. More recently from the same source it is reported that 1,000 trucks have been received by the city of Lodz as a gift from the Red Army for transporting coal from Silesia; also the delivery by the Soviet Government of radio station equipment for the Warsaw radio.
I recommend that I be instructed to go to Molotov or Vyshinski33 and inform them that unless the Soviet Government within a reasonable time gives us full information regarding all transactions in the past to third countries, shipments of certain items under the protocol such as sugar (which the Department will recall was delivered by the Soviets to Finland) and flour (delivered to Poland) will cease, and advising the Soviets that we are going to have to take action in the case of trucks also if further trucks are delivered by the Soviets to third countries without our approval. I hesitate to take action regarding trucks unless we have a further incident of retransfer as I believe they are needed by the Red Army.
I do not, however, wish to take this matter up with the Foreign Office unless I obtain full assurance that the United States Government will stop shipments of some definite items such as sugar and flour in the event the Soviet Government does not comply with our requirements. I believe that if I am authorized to take this action it will have a salutary effect on our relations with the Soviet Government, although we may find unpleasant immediate repercussions. General Deane concurs.
- Andrey Yanuaryevich Vyshinsky, Assistant People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union.↩