860C.51/1–2646: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Poland (Keith)
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60. It is obvious from urtel 110, Jan. 24,24 that either Rzymowski or Olszewski, or both, have misrepresented not only Ambassador Lane’s statements regarding nationalization of property but also my own statements during interview with Rzymowski in London. All points covered in latter interview were transmitted to you in London’s 6 of Jan. 19.25
You are instructed to inform Olszewski categorically at earliest opportunity that the views expressed by Amb Lane regarding nationalization of property and zloty exchange rate represent views of USGov. The fact that PolGov officials have on several occasions seen fit to misquote the Amb on subject of nationalization can only lead to assumption that his remarks have been wilfully distorted by those officials, as pointed out in Deptel 49, Jan. 22.25a You may reiterate this Gov’s recognition of the right of PolGov to nationalize property and point out that Amb Lane’s protest dealt only with failure of PolGov to fulfill its obligations under the Treaty of 1931 by not permitting American nationals to visit Poland for purpose of inspecting their properties. USGov attaches greatest importance to entry of Americans into Poland for this purpose and fails to understand PolGov’s casual treatment of this matter to date. While it is true that I stated, as Rzymowski has reported, that this Gov does not wish to interfere in Poland’s internal affairs, it is important that you emphasize that PolGov should not interpret this as meaning that USGov intends to relinquish in any sense the responsibilities assumed by it in conjunction with Great Britain and USSR with respect to the holding of free and unfettered elections in Poland.
You may also tell Olszewski that I did not at any time inform [Page 385] Rzymowski that the USGov accepted the exchange rate of 100 zlotys to the dollar which is now being proposed by the PolGov and that I would certainly not have adopted the extraordinary procedure described by Olszewski to notify the Embassy of any such action. As you were informed by London’s 6, I told Rzymowski that the matter of an exchange rate would have to be considered further by Dept and by US Treas.
It is suggested that you inform Olszewski orally of the above, at the same time presenting an aide-mémoire in order that your remarks may not be subject to further misrepresentation. You may also point out orally that the tactics employed recently by PolGov in its dealings with American officials cannot fail to have an unfortunate effect upon our relations with the Pol Provisional Gov in general and upon the current credit negotiations in particular.
Polemb here will also be informed of the above without delay.26
Repeated to London as no. 910.
- Not printed; in it Chargé Keith reported on his meeting with the Chief of the Political Department of the Polish Foreign Ministry, Olszewski, who gave Keith the Polish version of the substance of Foreign Minister Rzymowski’s conversation with Secretary Byrnes at London (860C.51/1–2446). A brief account of the Keith-Olszewski meeting is given in Lane, I Saw Poland Betrayed, p. 233.↩
- Same as telegram 692, January 19, from London, p. 381.↩
- See footnote 23, above.↩
- The misrepresentation of Ambassador Lane’s remarks regarding the nationalization of industries in Poland and Secretary Byrnes’ remarks regarding the dollar–zloty exchange rate was the subject of a conversation between Acting Secretary of State Acheson and Polish Ambassador Lange on the afternoon of January 30, 1946. The memorandum of this conversation is not printed (860C.5034/1–3046).↩