860C.00/1–1847: Telegram
The Ambassador in Poland (Lane) to the Secretary of State
urgent niact
97. For the Secretary of State. The American and British and Soviet Ambassadors under the terms of the Yalta decision have an obligation to report to their respective govts on conditions in Poland. If those reports are to be of any worth to their govts they must be based not [Page 409] only on personal observation but on what the Ambassadors are told by persons of all shades of political thought and not merely on official Soviet handouts. Much of our info has come from Mikolajczyk who is not only Vice Premier and Minister of Agriculture and he is technically an important member of the govt whose inclusion therein was one of our prices of recognition of the Provisional Govt of National Unity but is also head of the Polish Peasant Party which at least until the recent campaign of arrests, intimidation and coercion enjoyed the most numerous membership of all the parties.
Mikolajczyk has in fact acknowledged through his note of December 18 to the representatives of the Yalta powers which has been published by the Dept that he was [has] given info to foreign govts re repressive and illegal measures taken by the govt. The death sentence meted out January 15 to Grocholski1 for imparting info to a foreign Ambassador has therefore a most sinister aspect when considered in relation to the internal political situation and to Mikolajczyk’s safety as well. It should be noted also that Polish Govt in its note of January 14 makes no reference to our observations re Yalta obligations and indicates that the Polish elections are none of our business.
In light of Polish Government’s series of actions against PSL and Bierut’s2 and Gomulka’s3 statements re Mikolajczyk I consider it a foregone conclusion that Mikolajczyk will not be retained as a member of govt once the PSL [new?] Sejm convenes and a president is elected. Worse I anticipate in view of recent developments reported supra that he may be tried for treason and specifically for having imparted information to foreign Embassies. In such event we may expect another Mikailovitch4 case. Once the case against him is sub judice, we may find it impossible effectively to send assistance.
Should Mikolajczyk or his principal colleagues be arrested for foregoing reasons I intend unless instructed to the contrary to make a vigorous oral protest to the Polish Govt along the lines of the arguments [Page 410] in this telegram emphasizing the most unfortunate effect which would be made on American public opinion if any harm should be inflicted on Mikolajczyk because of political activity and the corresponding damage which would result to the Polish Provisional Govt insofar as financial and other assistance from the US is concerned. Of course any representations which I might make would be far more effective if I could say that I had been instructed to make them by my govt. I should therefore greatly appreciate urgent telegraphic instructions.5 (The Dept may also wish to consider advisability of approaching Soviet and British Govts urging them also to make similar démarches.)
As we took such an important role in urging Mikolajczyk join the Provisional Govt I feel that we have far more than a humanitarian responsibility to endeavor to protect him from the fate of Mikailovitch.
- On January 14, the Warsaw Military Tribunal pronounced the death sentence on Count Xavier Grocholski, Waldemar Baczak, and Capt. Witold Kalicki after their conviction on charges of having supplied state secrets to the British Ambassador, Victor Cavendish-Bentinck.↩
- Boleslaw Bierut, Polish President (President of the National Council of the Homeland).↩
- Władysław Gomulka, Deputy Prime Minister of the
Polish Provisional Government of National Unity and Secretary
General of the Polish Workers Party (Communist). Telegram 36,
January 9, from Warsaw, not printed, reported in part as follows
regarding Gomulka’s January 5 election speech in Lodz:
“Latest Gomulka speech together with unprecedently violent bloc press campaign featuring charges Polish Peasant party connection with underground and defenders of Germany are viewed here as latest step in campaign to link support of Mikolajczyk with national treason and to justify extremely severe measures now being taken against Mikolajczyk’s party.” (860C.00/1–947)
↩ - In 1946 Yugoslav wartime guerrilla leader Gen. Draža Mihailović was tried, convicted, and executed for alleged crimes against the Yugoslav state.↩
- Telegram 55, January 20, to Warsaw, replied as follows:
“Dept agrees that should developments foreseen urtel 97, Jan 18 eventuate you should immediately make vigorous oral protest to Pol Gov. While Dept does not question soundness your view regarding damage to any further financial assistance to Poland it believes any reference this subject in your protest inadvisable. While Dept has no objection your stating you have been instructed to make protest you should leave way open for Dept to send you specific instructions for a further protest based upon actual circumstances.” (860C.00/1–1847)
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