711.61/5–1448: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Durbrow) to the Secretary of State
907. In Soviet central press May 14 appears Tass dispatch from New York reading as follows:
“It is worthy of note that text Soviet Government’s statement in reply to that US Ambassador in USSR, Smith as issued by State Department for publication in press, contains number of distortions.
“Thus, for example, in section of Soviet statement which declares military alliance of five western powers ‘may be directed against those states which were allies in the Second World War’ word ‘those’ in State Department version is replaced by word ‘all’.
“Soviet Government’s statement on formation military alliance five western European states declared ‘in all English, French and American press it is openly said this union is directed against USSR.’ Text published in American press completely omits this statement by Soviet Government.
“Nature these distortions speaks for itself.”
Embassy records show that alleged distortions did not occur in Embassy translation of original aide-mémoire or in draft of telegram No. 867, May 10 which transmitted English text to Department. Embassy would be interested to know whether there is any foundation for this Soviet criticism.1
- The Department replied in telegram 564 to Moscow on May 19 that there was no foundation for the Soviet criticism. The press release had correctly quoted Molotov’s statement (711.61/5–1448).↩