Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Eastern Europe, The Soviet Union, Volume VI

860C.00/3–1946: Telegram

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

secret

Warsaw, March 19, 1946—2 p.m.
[Received March 20—11:15 a.m.]

380. Mikolajczyk confirmed to me information transmitted in mytel 377 of March 19, noon⁸⁹ re dismissal of Kapelinski as Minister of Posts and Telegraphs.

Mikolajczyk said that during Moscow Conference last June it was agreed that his party should be given four portfolios in Govt among them Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs which was to have been filled by Thugutt then in London.⁹⁰ Thugutt, according to Mikolajczyk, was afraid to come to Poland and consequently never filled the position. Mikolajczyk says that argument of PPR is that it is not the fault of the Govt if Thugutt declined to join. Mikolajczyk says that unfortunately Thugutt’s refusal to join Govt weakens argument of PSL in this instance. PPR takes the position that Kapelinski who was originally of the PPS but who recently joined PSL has only been acting as the head of Ministry but not actually as Minister. Mikolajczyk has protested further that Bierut’s action in notifying the Council of Ministers of Kapelinski’s dismissal is contrary to Moscow protocol which provides that changes in Govt must be approved by Presidium of National Council of Homeland. He hopes, however, that British and ourselves will make a firm protest to the effect that appointment of Putek, who is member of SL,⁹¹ is a change in the basic condition of the Govt as agreed upon at Moscow and in accordance with which recognition was accorded Provisional Govt of National Unity by Great Britain and ourselves.

Mikolajczyk says that if we allow this instance to pass with [without] protest we will be inviting a repetition of similar action which might eventually involve his own dismissal from the Govt. He was very much in earnest in describing it as a very dangerous precedent.

I trust, therefore, that Department will instruct me to send written communication to Minister of Foreign Affairs along the lines of Mikolajczyk’s recommendation and I suggest further that Department inform Lange in a similar sense.

Lane

89. Not printed.
90. In mid-June 1945, Polish political leaders from within Poland and from the émigré group in London met in Moscow and reached agreement on the establishment of a Polish Provisional Government of National Unity. Regarding this conference, see telegram 2218, June 21, 1945, from Moscow, Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. v, p. 352.
91. Stronnictwo Ludowe (Peasant Party). In August 1945, the prewar Peasant Party split. The faction favoring close cooperation with the Communists retained the name Peasant Party (SL). The faction led by Mikolajczyk added the word “Polish” to the title of their party (PSL).