Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Western Europe, Volume III

865.014/3–648: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy (Dunn) to the Secretary of State

secret
urgent

Rome, March 6, 1948—7 p. m.

982. Paris telegram 1167 of March 4 to Department repeated Rome as 98. We entirely agree with Bidault’s appraisal importance of Italian colonial issue on forthcoming national elections Italy and his realistic view that positive prompt action by US, UK and France is essential to meet in some measure Communist election propaganda based on recent Soviet declaration policy. Embassy, therefore, submits for Department’s urgent reconsideration our earlier recommendation for immediate statement of US policy (in concert with UK and France if possible) which would be no less favorable to Italians than colonial position recently taken by USSR (see Embtel 707, February 17 and 736, February 19).¹ Such action would, of course, be far more effective than formula contained in Embassy’s later telegram 881² of March 1 submitted in light of Deptel 477, February 20.³

Sent Department as 982; repeated London as 94; Paris 131.

Dunn

1. Telegram 707, not printed; 736, p. 896.
2. Not printed; it suggested that the United States and United Kingdom assure Italian refugees of equal treatment with other nationals if they chose to return to the colonies (865.014/3–148).
3. Same as telegram 600, p. 898.