860C.00/11–2947
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Armour)
| Participants: | Mr. Mikolajczyk1 |
| Mr. Zaleski, private secretary to Mr. Mikolajczyk | |
| Mr. Armour, Assistant Secretary of State | |
| Mr. Thompson, Deputy Director for European Affairs2 |
Mr. Mikolajczyk opened the conversation by expressing his thanks for our having permitted him and his friends to come to this country. He referred to the unfortunate fact that one of the groups of his friends attempting to leave Poland had been caught in Czechoslovakia and is concerned over treatment they would receive.
I expressed our pleasure at Mr. Mikolajczyk’s safe journey and said that we were very glad to welcome him here. I explained the delay in our receiving him and said that we hoped for the next few months nothing would occur which would embarrass our Ambassador and the Embassy in Warsaw. Mr. Mikolajczyk indicated that he fully appreciated these considerations. I then asked what he could tell me about [Page 468] conditions in Poland. Mr. Mikolajczyk referred to the fact that the Communists in the Polish Government had now succeeded in eliminating any real political opposition but said that the bulk of the Polish people continued to be opposed to the Communists and the Government. He said he was personally more concerned about the ability of the people to resist economic pressure than he was over the question of political methods of suppression. He said that Minister Mine was now in a position to control the economic life of every individual in Poland.
Mr. Mikolajczyk said the important thing to do now was to keep alive the independent spirit of the Polish people. He said in this connection that very little could be done within Poland and said he thought our Embassy there would be increasingly isolated and already Poland was without any uncontrolled newspaper. The main reliance therefor would have to be on foreign broadcasts and he said that the Voice of America had played a very important role. When he had heard that Congress had cut the appropriations for these broadcasts he had been very discouraged. Although our signal was weak there were many sets in Poland that could pick it up and people were eager to listen to our broadcasts. He mentioned that the vacuum tubes for these sets would be wearing out and it would be important for us to do anything we could in connection with any trade agreements which Poland might make to facilitate the acquisition by Poland of additional tubes.
In addition to the broadcasts Mr. Mikolajczyk thought it would be very useful and important for the Polish case to be brought before the United Nations. He realized it might be argued that this could lead to no positive result but he thought it would have an important effect in letting the Polish people know that there was still interest in their independence and welfare and that this would give them hope.
Mr. Mikolajczyk mentioned also that food packages, particularly those sent from one individual to another, were of the greatest importance in maintaining the morale of the people.
In replying to a question regarding the attitude of the members of the present Government toward questions affecting the future of Poland, Mr. Mikolajczyk said that, of course, the Communists were entirely subservient to Moscow and any national feelings they might have had counted for nothing. The Socialists were virtually without power and were entirely controlled by the Communists. He mentioned the fact that the Prime Minister was the author of articles severely criticizing Stalin and knew that he could be removed at any time. He also referred to the fact that in the arrangement concerning reparations by which the Poles supplied coal to the Russians, the price had been fixed at $4.00 per ton in the negotiations. After the agreement [Page 469] had been signed Mikolajczyk found that the actual price had been fixed at $2.25 per ton and that this had been done by Gomulka and Mine without informing the other members of the Government.
I inquired if Mr. Mikolajczyk did not think that the success of the Marshall Plan would have a favorable effect upon the Polish people. Mr. Mikolajczyk indicated that he was not optimistic that it would ever be possible for the Soviet and Western systems to exist peacefully in the same world. He said that even if a solution to the political problems involved could be found he did not believe that their economic systems could be harmonized.
With respect to future plans Mr. Mikolajczyk said he was going to visit Chicago, Detroit and Boston where he would speak and that he was working on his book which he hoped to complete about next March. His first article based on the book would appear probably in January.
He said he was in great sympathy with the so-called Green International and inquired whether we could give him any advice or information as to our attitude on this question. I indicated that we sympathized with the peasant movement in all these countries but suggested he should go slowly in making up his mind as to what course he should follow. I pointed out that émigré groups abroad were very much divided and that he, who occupied such a unique position, should consider carefully whether he should identify himself with any one of them. Mr. Mikolajczyk said that he had been urged by émigré Poles to denounce the Yalta Agreement with respect to Poland and to declare this Agreement invalid. He said he had refused to do so pointing out that Poland was not a party to the Yalta Agreement although he and his friends had endeavored without success to carry out some of the steps necessary to the implementation of that Agreement. I said that we had great confidence in his good judgment and that we felt sure his course of action would be such as to justify the confidence which so many people had in him.
Mr. Mikolajczyk asked what arrangements could be made about his visa since he would probably wish to take trips to London and Paris. His visa was now valid for six months and he did not know whether he would have difficulty in remaining here after that time.
I replied that I believed he would have no difficulty in making the trips he indicated and returning during the period of validity of his visa. I suggested, however, that he keep us informed in order that we could facilitate the matter. I also stated that I thought that there would be no difficulty in renewing the visas of himself and his party for an additional six months and pointed out that this would give us time to look further into the matter. In this connection I referred to our very stringent immigration laws.
[Page 470]Mr. Mikolajczyk also inquired whether it would be possible for him to see the President. I replied that for the reasons I had indicated earlier I thought it best if we left this matter in abeyance for the moment.
In taking his leave Mr. Mikolajczyk again expressed his appreciation of our assistance and said he would be at our disposal at any time we wished to consult him.
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Mr. Mikolajczyk arrived in the United States on a visitor’s visa at the end of November. A memorandum of December 1 from the Office of European Affairs to Acting Secretary of State Lovett and Assistant Secretary of State Armour read in part as follows:
“A telegram has been received from Mr. Mikolajczyk asking to be received by the Acting Secretary at his convenience. He has also informed the press that he hopes to be received by the President. In view of the important role which this Government played in the arrangements made for Mr. Mikolajczyk’s return to Poland [in 1945] and participation in the Provisional Government there, as well as the consistent cooperation which he has given us, it is believed that he should be received if possible by Mr. Lovett, otherwise by Mr. Armour. It is understood that the President is leaving Washington on December 3 and the question of his seeing the President can be deferred.” (8600.00/11–2947)
↩ - Mr. Thompson became Deputy Director of the Office of European Affairs, on November 14.↩