711.60C/10–346: Telegram
The Ambassador in Poland (Lane) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 5—3:05 p.m.]
1531. In discussing general Polish American relations with Prime Minister today, I referred to my talk with Olszewski September 2423 and characterized relations as worsening and on downward grade due to no fault of US. I referred to obstructionist and even unfriendly attitude taken on Dmochowska case,24 similar attitude in connection [Page 499] with US note August 19 re election which has never been answered except through the press and lack of regard for many cases involving American interests.
I referred to unfriendly attitude of press toward US and I took liberty of reminding Premier that his speech at Katowice probably through lack of knowledge of all conditions gave erroneous impression of Mr. Byrnes’ speech25 when Osóbka used phrase “undermining frontiers of Poland.”
I then explained that Secretary’s speech did not represent change of policy of US Government and that I had so informed Olszewski immediately after Mr. Byrnes’ speech was made September 6.26 As I interpreted his speech Secretary wished to underline that we are not withdrawing from Europe nor from occupation of Germany until other armies of occupation withdraw. I could not see how speech could be interpreted as hostile towards Poland. There was no intimation in speech that US was changing its Potsdam attitude or that US would take attitude counter to Polish interests at Peace Conference. Emphasizing that I was speaking personally and had no instructions to say so I observed that there had been reports of demands on part of German Communists for western Polish territory. Such demands if granted before Peace Conference met would be a violation of Potsdam decision. On other hand Secretary’s speech emphasized necessity of adhering to Potsdam agreement. In his speech Secretary had referred however to failure of “Potsdam power to live up to Potsdam agreement”. It was to be assumed that this would create irritation in certain quarters. I said that Secretary’s speech was almost unanimously applauded by American press with exception of Communist press which is small and of little importance. This attitude of press was to be interpreted as approval of our nonisolationist policy.
Osóbka said that he thought Secretary’s speech was made for political purposes in connection with November elections in US. I said this was not so and that foreign policy of US is bi-partisan as indicated by support of President by both parties in connection with Wallace’s resignation.27 He inquired whether in issuing communiqué on my visit to him he might refer to my interpretation of the Secretary’s Stuttgart speech as he felt certain it would help to clear up misunderstanding and would serve to create better relations.
I replied that as Mr. Byrnes’ speech had been apparently deliberately misrepresented I feared that my interpretation would likewise [Page 500] be misrepresented and as I had no instructions to make statement, I preferred not to do so. I authorized him, however, to say if he wished that we discussed Mr. Byrnes’ speech in the most friendly fashion but I judged from his reaction that nothing will be said on the matter.
I made it plain that I was aware of Polish Government’s attitude in inciting public against US in connection with the Secretary’s speech and referred to demonstration outside my hotel rooms September 8.28 I said I did not personally mind but I was thinking of reaction in US which according to hundreds of clippings sent me created an undesirable atmosphere in the US against Poland.
While I believe that Osóbka personally desires friendly relations with the US it was obvious from his limited and reluctant remarks that he is not at liberty to discuss the Government’s policy re western frontiers except that attitude of Western Powers re western frontiers had made it plain to Polish people that it has one friend (USSR) whom it can always count. He also said that as result of Stuttgart speech Poland is speeding up the repopulation of western lands.
I ended interview by asking rhetorical question whether in the event that Polish frontier was moved east of Oder and Neisse Rivers the gainer would be Germany or the Soviet Zone in Germany. Osóbka merely laughed.
Sent to Department as 1531; repeated Paris for Secretary as 329.
- For an account of the Lane–Olszewski conversation of September 24, see Lane, I Saw Poland Betrayed, p. 269.↩
- For an account of the arrest of United States Embassy employee, Mrs. Irena Dmochowska, and Ambassador Lane’s subsequent efforts to secure her release, see ibid., pp. 201–204.↩
- Reference to Secretary Byrnes’ spech at Stuttgart, September 6; for text, see Department of State Bulletin, September 15, 1946, p. 496.↩
- For an account of Ambassador Lane’s conversation with Olszewski on September 6, see Lane, I Saw Poland Betrayed, pp. 260–261.↩
- Henry A. Wallace resigned as Secretary of Commerce on September 20, 1946.↩
- The American Embassy was located in the Hotel Polonia in Warsaw; for an account of the demonstration before the hotel on September 8, 1946, see Lane, I Saw Poland Betrayed, p. 262.↩