Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

511.6121/2–2850: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

secret

Washington, March 4, 1950—3 p. m.

182. Re Embtel 694, Feb 28.¹ Dept has given full consideration to the present precarious situation of Amerika magazine in the USSR. Emb requested to make further and strong representations to Sov FonOff which will make clear and document Emb’s charges of failure to provide adequate distribution for magazine. Emb authorized to conduct negots re price magazine revising downward to four or five roubles if this felt possible face saving device which might result in continuance Amerika. Dept prepared to discontinue Amerika unless reasonably satis distribution plan can be maintained and wld plan to make such discontinuance occasion for fully informing public as to subterfuges whereby Sov has throttled, without officially prohibiting magazine. Suggested Amb or Counselor call on FonMin and deliver note making following points:

1. Emb has recd no reply to representations made by counselor to head of Amer Section FonOff Jan 30.² Communication of Feb 7 [11] from Soyuzpechat is not an adequate or satis reply.³

2. Emb wishes to point out that magazine Amerika has been circulated in Sovunion for five years 1945–49. Statement of Soyuzpechat letter of Dec 30, 1949 was first notice ever recd from Sov Govt that sales were not satis.⁴ All info available indicates great interest in magazine among Sov readers. There has been no change in magazine. Hence it wld seem logical conclusion that change in distribution methods has occurred. All info at Emb’s disposal indicates well over 50,000 copies cld be sold in SovUnion if distribution were made in a satis manner as agreed upon in original Harriman–Molotov discussions on this subj.⁵

3. Emb believes statement of Soyuzpechat that magazine is sold in seventy cities of Sovunion open to question. Members of the Emb staff in course of travels in past year have failed to find Amerika on sale in twenty four Sov cities. Observations over a period of months disclosed not single copy on sale Vladivostok. Emb also refers to failure of Soyuzpechat to distribute magazine on regular monthly basis although deliveries have been regularly made.

4. Emb wishes to remind the SovFonOff that the Sov Govt is distributing freely in US an official publication of its Emb and other info media.

5. Emb prepared assist Soyuzpechat in every way to obtain adequate distribution of Amerika. Some officials of Soyuzpechat have suggested that price of Amerika might be factor in limiting sales. Emb prepared discuss this point and make any reasonable price adjustment necessary assure satis distribution. Emb also prepared undertake itself distribution by direct subscription as is done with Sovinfobul in US.

Acheson

1. Not printed.
2. Not printed, but see footnote 5, p. 1080.
3. See telegram 528 from Moscow on February 14, p. 1103.
4. See telegram 33 from Moscow on January 5, p. 1077.
5. Not printed. See Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. iv, pp. 991–992 and 998–999. W. Averell Harriman was the United States Ambassador and Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was then the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union.