Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

861.415/11–148: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

restricted

Washington, November 1, 1948—7 p. m.

1285. Send Shvernik¹ following through appropriate channels Nov 7 “On this national holiday of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics I have been instructed by my Government to inform you that the people of the United States send best wishes to the people of the Soviet Union.”²

Above lieu usual telegram from President to Chief of State, and follows precedent recent Czecho national holiday.

Lovett

1. Nikolay Mikhailovich Shvernik was Chairman (President) of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union.
2. Winston S. Churchill, wartime British Prime Minister, had spoken on October 9 at the annual conference of the Conservative Party in strong opposition to the policies and actions of the Soviet Union.